Bread Pudding Recipe

Prepare bread

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish or a similarly sized ovenproof dish. Tear or cube about 6 cups of day-old bread into roughly 1–1.5 inch pieces — leave some crust pieces for texture. Spread the bread pieces in an even layer in the prepared dish.

Add mix-ins

Scatter 1 cup golden raisins and 1/2 cup chopped nuts over the bread if using. Press the mix-ins lightly into the bread so they’re distributed through the top layers.

Warm milk and cream

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Warm over medium heat until just steaming and small bubbles form at the edges (do not boil), about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk eggs and sugars

While the milk warms, in a large bowl whisk together 4 large eggs, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg until smooth and slightly frothy.

Temper and combine

Slowly stream about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg-sugar mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then gradually whisk in the remaining warm milk and cream until fully combined. Stir in 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Soak the bread

Pour the custard evenly over the bread and mix-ins in the baking dish, pressing the bread gently with a spatula or the back of a spoon to help it absorb the liquid. Let the bread soak for 15–30 minutes at room temperature. For a firmer texture, pour and bake immediately; for a softer, creamier interior let it sit 30–45 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours to hydrate thoroughly.

Optional rest and topping

If desired, brush the top of the soaked bread with 2 tbs melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tsp demerara or coarse sugar for a crunchy top.

Bake

Place the baking dish in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven. Bake uncovered until the custard is set around the edges and just slightly jiggly in the center, and the top is golden, about 40–50 minutes. A knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean with a little moist custard clinging to it.

Rest

Remove from oven and let rest 10–15 minutes before serving. The pudding will continue to set as it cools.

Dust with 1 tbs powdered sugar if desired and serve warm with vanilla sauce or warm caramel (about 1/2 cup total for the batch) on the side. Leftovers store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm in a 325°F (160°C) oven until heated through.