Bread Pudding

Quick answer

Total time: 55 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Bread pudding transforms leftover bread into a warm, custardy dessert by soaking thick slices in a mixture of eggs, whole milk, and heavy cream, then baking until the custard sets.

Allowing the bread to soak for at least twenty minutes before baking ensures the liquid penetrates all the way through each slice so the interior bakes into something closer to a soft, yielding pudding, while the top layer exposed to the oven heat crisps into a golden-brown crust. Cinnamon stirred into the custard base distributes a warm spiced fragrance through the entire dish, and vanilla extract rounds out the egg flavor. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a pour of bourbon caramel sauce, the contrast between the hot pudding and the cold topping adds another dimension. Originally a practical solution to stale bread, this dish has been a fixture of English and American Southern home cooking for generations.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

bread cubes300 gg

milk400 mlml

heavy cream100 mlml

eggs3 eaea

sugar90 gg

ground cinnamon1 tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Cut 300g bread into bite-sized cubes and spread them loosely in the baking dish so the custard can reach the center and edges evenly.
2

Season

In a bowl, whisk 3 eggs first, then add 90g sugar and whisk until the grains begin to dissolve.

Pour in 400ml milk and 100ml heavy cream, mixing steadily so the custard base becomes even.
3

Heat

Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and whisk again, checking that no dry spice clumps remain on the bottom of the bowl.

If the mixture is very foamy, let it stand briefly before pouring for a smoother bake.
4

Step

Pour the custard slowly over the bread, then press the pieces gently with a spoon so no dry cubes remain.

Let it soak for at least 20 minutes, pressing once midway if the top still looks dry.
5

Heat

Bake on the middle rack at 180°C for 35 to 40 minutes.

It is ready when the top is deep golden and crisp, and the center no longer sloshes like liquid when the dish is gently moved.
6

Finish

Remove from the oven and rest for 10 to 15 minutes so the custard sets fully.

When no loose liquid runs as the dish is tilted slightly, spoon out and serve warm.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Bread Pudding turns thick slices into a warm, custardy dessert using a rich milk and egg soak.
Finish cue: It is ready when the top is deep golden and crisp, and the center no longer sloshes like liquid when the dish is gently moved.