Hello Bakers,
Today we are tackling bread pudding - how to make a good one. It’s all about measuring mindfulness - yes. Make sure you carefully measure well weigh out your ingredients. It’s when those ratios go off the rails that we can have problems.
Bread pudding is one of the best ways to use leftover bread. Other options are croutons and making breadcrumbs. But bread pudding - that magical combination of bread cubes and vanilla scented custard - well that’s the best.
But bread pudding - can be awful too - dry, dense with uneven flavor. Everything our bread pudding is not.
You can use just about any type of bread except breads with savory additions like rosemary or olives. There are savory bread puddings but today we are talking about sweet ones.
So here we go - here is the recipe. Please give it a try - especially if you love bread pudding or you bake for someone who does. Any questions - let me know. And as always - if you post your bread pudding photos - please tag me - I love to see your beautiful work.
Points for success: An assortment of like minded breads is fine - a single variety is fine too. Please don’t skimp on the vanilla - the amount is correct.
Equipment: A pan or baking dish that is close to 9” x 13”. It can be metal, ceramic or pyrex. Cutting board, serrated knife, large bowl, whisk and spatula - can be mixed in the mixer as well - use the whisk attachment.
Ingredients: 16 ounces (454g) cubed - medium diced bread - egg breads like brioche and challah work well,
baguettes and buns. And they can be mixed - so when you get to toward the end of a loaf - freeze it. Leftover croissants work too. If you are using sweet breads (like panettone, cinnamon rolls or danish) you might reduce the sugar by 20%.
Extras: You can add raisins, other dried fruit and chocolate chips. 85g-113g is a good amount. Nuts tend to get soggy when soaked in custard but you can add them if you like.
454g of cubed stale bread (recipe for bread pudding bread below)
3 large eggs (150g)
283g of sugar
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
57g butter, melted and cooled
3 1/4 cups milk (737g)
Bread pudding MEP
Bread Pudding Bread (recipe below) cooling
In a large bowl whisk the eggs until thick and frothy or mix in the mixer, with the whisk attachment for 2 minutes.
Add the sugar, spices, vanilla and melted butter. Whisk until well combined and 1-1/2 minutes on medium speed if using the mixer.
Add the milk and whisk for 1-2 minutes until well combined. This is the custard - set aside.
Generously, I mean generously butter the baking dish.
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the custard over the bread cubes - toss evenly.
Then transfer the bread and custard mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Let sit 45 minutes until the custard is almost absorbed - press down on the bread occasionally to make sure that it is soaked evenly.
Preheat the oven to 350. Cover the pudding with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, crimp the edges to seal.
Place the pudding in the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees.
Bake for 35 minutes and check to see if the custard is set. When done it will feel firm to the touch with no liquid seeping up and it will register 170 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
Increase the oven temperature to 425 - remove the foil and bake for 8-12 minutes until the pudding is puffy and golden.
Remove the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve with your favorite sauce. Some suggestions are caramel, rum, or creme anglaise - vanilla ice cream works too.
Store leftovers, well wrapped in the refrigerator.
Bread pudding Bread - I loaf
195g water (70 degrees)
6g instant yeast or 1 pkg active dry
300g bread flour
20g sugar
30g softened butter
6g salt
Combine water and yeast, let sit for 5 minutes, add flour, sugar, butter and salt. Knead for 3 minutes on speed 2 and 3 minutes on speed 1. Bulk ferment 60-75 minutes until doubled in size. Degas and preshape into a cylinder. Grease an 8 1/2” x 4 1/2” pan and place dough in pan. Press dough until sides and corners of the pan. Cover and let rise until it almost to the top of the pan. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Turn off over and let it sit in the over for 5 timed minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, remove for pan - let sit overnight, uncovered before slicing and using.
