Brioche Bread Pudding Recipe

Prep and assemble

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9x9-inch or similar ovenproof baking dish. Place the brioche cubes in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle raisins or currants over the top if using.

Make custard

In a medium bowl, whisk together whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract), and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt until sugar is dissolved and mixture is homogeneous.

Combine and rest

Pour the custard evenly over the brioche cubes, pressing lightly so bread absorbs liquid. Drizzle the melted butter over the top. Let stand at room temperature for 20–30 minutes so the bread fully soaks; gently toss once after 10 minutes to distribute custard.

Bake

Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 15–25 minutes more, until the custard is set at the center (a knife inserted should come out mostly clean) and the top is golden. Total bake time ~35–45 minutes depending on dish depth. If top browns too quickly, tent with foil.

Cool

Remove from oven and let cool 10–15 minutes so custard firms slightly. The pudding can be served warm or at room temperature.

While the pudding bakes, place the peeled sweet potato cubes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until very tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot.

Add 2 tablespoons butter, maple syrup, ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the hot sweet potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or use an immersion blender for a very smooth purée. Adjust seasoning to taste. Keep warm until serving, or chill and gently rewarm.

In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream and whole milk with the vanilla bean seeds/paste. Warm gently over medium heat until steam appears but do not boil.

In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Temper the yolks by slowly pouring about half of the warm milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. Then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan.

Cook the custard over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt.

Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any coagulated bits. Chill the custard thoroughly in the refrigerator (at least 2 hours) until cold. If you have an ice cream maker, churn according to manufacturer instructions and then freeze until firm. If you do not have a machine, place the chilled custard in a shallow container and freeze, stirring vigorously every 30 minutes for about 2–3 hours to create a smooth texture.

Spoon a warm portion of brioche bread pudding onto each plate. Add a generous dollop or quenelle of sweet potato purée alongside or partially under the pudding.

Top with a scoop of the vanilla bean ice cream so it begins to melt slightly into the warm pudding. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired and serve immediately.