Golden Vanilla Bread Pudding
Transform slightly stale bread into a luscious dessert soaked in spiced custard and baked until caramelized and tender.
Story
This old-fashioned comfort bake turns humble bread into something magical. The secret lies in using day-old bread and allowing it to fully absorb the vanilla-scented custard before baking to golden perfection.
Ingredients
slightly stale bread, torn into chunks
4 cups
whole milk
2 cups
large eggs
3
granulated sugar
1/3 cup
vanilla extract
1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon
raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 cup
butter, melted
3 tablespoons
salt
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Instructions
1
Toast the bread
Heat oven to 350°F. Toss bread chunks with 2 tablespoons melted butter on a baking sheet. Toast for 5 minutes until edges turn golden. This step prevents the pudding from becoming soggy.
2
Whisk the custard
Beat eggs with sugar until pale. Pour in milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is slightly frothy.
3
Assemble and soak
Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Layer toasted bread and dried fruit evenly. Pour custard overtop, pressing bread down gently to ensure every piece gets soaked. Let stand 10 minutes.
4
Bake until golden
Drizzle remaining butter over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes until puffed, deeply golden, and a knife inserted comes out clean. The center should still quiver slightly.
5
Serve warm
Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of maple syrup.
