Description
A classic custard bread pudding made with cubes of dry French bread soaked in a rich custard mixture of whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, vanilla, and sugar, then baked in a water bath until golden and creamy. Served best with vanilla sauce and fresh berries or caramel sauce for a comforting dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 16 oz loaf French bread (454g), cubed into 1.5 inch pieces, dried or lightly toasted
Custard Mixture
- 3 ¾ cups whole milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 7 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- Optional zest of ½ an orange
Instructions
- Prepare the Bread: Cube the French bread into 1.5 inch cubes. Ensure the bread is dry by either toasting lightly in the oven or letting it sit out for a couple of days until stale, which helps absorb the custard better.
- Mix the Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, and optional orange zest until fully combined and egg whites are no longer separate.
- Soak the Bread: Pour the custard mixture into a large glass baking dish, then add the dried bread cubes. Gently toss until all bread pieces are evenly coated. Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours to allow the bread to soak up the custard.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Water Bath: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Place it inside a larger roasting pan and pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish to create a water bath, which prevents curdling during baking.
- Bake Bread Pudding: Bake covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the custard is set.
- Finish Baking for a Golden Crust: Remove the foil and continue baking uncovered until the crust turns golden brown and crispy, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Serve: Serve the bread pudding warm with vanilla sauce and optional fresh berries or caramel sauce for added flavor.
Notes
- Using stale or toasted bread ensures the pudding soaks up custard without becoming soggy.
- A water bath is essential to gently cook the custard and prevent curdling.
- Covering the dish during baking helps maintain moisture.
- Allow bread pudding to cool slightly before serving for best texture.
- Orange zest is optional but adds a lovely citrus brightness.
- Use a glass baking dish of about 2 quarts for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of recipe)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 170 mg
