Raspberry, White Chocolate, And Almond Bread Pudding Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9x9-inch (or similar 2-quart) baking dish and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream. Heat over medium until just steaming and small bubbles form at the edge of the pan (do not boil), about 4–6 minutes.

While the milk heats, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt in a large bowl until combined and slightly frothy.

Slowly temper: with the whisk running, pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg-sugar mixture to warm the eggs. Then slowly pour the rest of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Stir until smooth.

Place the cubed brioche/challah in a very large bowl. Sprinkle the white chocolate chips evenly over the bread cubes and gently fold to distribute.

Fold in 1 3/4 cups of the raspberries (reserve approx. 1/4 cup for garnish) and 1/2 cup of the toasted sliced almonds, distributing them evenly through the bread. The raspberries will add pockets of moisture and flavor.

Pour the tempered custard slowly over the bread mixture, pressing down lightly with a spatula or your hands so the bread soaks up the custard. Let sit for 15–20 minutes to absorb; if some custard remains, gently press the bread down again to submerge pieces.

After soaking, transfer the bread-custard mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Scatter the reserved raspberries on top, along with the remaining sliced almonds and the remaining white chocolate if you held any back (if not, just distribute what’s already in).

If using, dot the top with the melted butter and sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the surface to create a lightly crunchy top.

Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden and the center is set but still slightly jiggly, about 35–45 minutes. A knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

If the top is browning too quickly, tent with foil for the last 10–15 minutes of baking.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10–15 minutes. The pudding will continue to set as it cools.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Spoon portions onto plates and optionally garnish with additional fresh raspberries, a sprinkle of toasted sliced almonds, or a drizzle of melted white chocolate or crème anglaise/vanilla sauce.

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Rewarm gently in a 325°F (160°C) oven until heated through, about 10–15 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 30–60 seconds.