Traditional Bread Pudding with Vanilla Custard
This Classic Bread Pudding with Vanilla Custard is the ultimate cozy dessert. Cubes of day-old bread soak up a velvety vanilla-spiced custard before baking into a golden, comforting treat. Paired with a warm vanilla sauce, it’s a nostalgic favorite everyone can appreciate.
Classic Bread Pudding with Vanilla Custard
Ingredients
For the Bread Pudding
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Day-old bread, cubed | 6 cups |
| Whole milk | 2 cups |
| Heavy cream | 1 cup |
| Large eggs | 4 |
| Granulated sugar | ¾ cup |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tbsp |
| Ground cinnamon | ½ tsp |
| Ground nutmeg | ¼ tsp |
| Salt | ¼ tsp |
| Raisins (optional) | ½ cup |
| Unsalted butter, melted | 2 tbsp |
For the Vanilla Custard Sauce
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Heavy cream | 1 cup |
| Milk | ½ cup |
| Sugar | ¼ cup |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tbsp |
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the dish:
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. - Make the custard mixture:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth and combined. - Add dairy:
Pour in the whole milk and heavy cream, blending until the mixture is uniform. - Layer the bread:
Spread the cubed bread evenly in the prepared pan. Add raisins on top, if using. - Soak with custard:
Pour the custard mixture over the bread, pressing the cubes down gently so they fully absorb the liquid. - Add butter:
Drizzle the melted butter across the surface. - Rest before baking:
Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes to ensure the bread is well-soaked. - Bake:
Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the top is browned and the center is set without excessive wobble. - Prepare the vanilla sauce:
While the pudding is in the oven, warm the heavy cream, milk, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture thickens slightly (avoid boiling). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. - Serve:
Dish out the bread pudding while warm and ladle the vanilla custard sauce over each serving.
If you’d like, I can also create:
✨ A shorter, quick-reference version
✨ A more gourmet, bakery-style rewrite
✨ A slow cooker or air fryer variation
