Homemade Bread Pudding with Raisins Recipe
Bread pudding is an American way to use up stale bread and turn it into a warm, fragrant dessert. Pieces of bread soak up a milky egg custard with vanilla and cinnamon, while raisins add sweetness. The flavor is reminiscent of a baked challah casserole crossed with custard, perfect for a chilly evening.
This bread pudding turns simple stale bread into a comforting, fragrant dessert with minimal effort. The combination of vanilla, cinnamon, and soft custard-soaked bread with sweet raisins creates a nostalgic, homely flavor that feels both economical and indulgent.
Chef's tips
Use slightly stale bread—its drier texture absorbs the custard better and gives a nicer structure. If your bread is very soft and fresh, don’t skip the step of briefly drying it in the oven. Taste your custard before pouring it over the bread and adjust the sugar or cinnamon to your liking.
How to serve
Serve the pudding warm, straight from the oven, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream so it melts into the hot dessert. For a more elegant presentation, cut it into neat squares, dust with powdered sugar, and drizzle with caramel or a simple vanilla sauce. It also pairs well with stewed apples or a spoonful of fruit compote.
Ingredients
- bread - 300 g
- milk - 500 ml
- egg - 3 piece
- sugar - 80 g
- raisins - 60 g
- butter - 40 g
- vanilla - 1 teaspoon
- cinnamon - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt - 1 pinch
- powdered sugar - 10 g
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease a baking dish about 20×25 cm with butter.
- Cut the bread into cubes about 2–3 cm; if it is very fresh, you can lightly dry it in the oven for 5–7 minutes first.
- Put the bread cubes into the baking dish and sprinkle the raisins evenly over the top.
- In a saucepan, gently heat the milk with the butter over low heat until the butter melts, but do not bring to a boil, then let it cool slightly.
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- Slowly pour the warm (not hot) milk with butter into the eggs, whisking constantly so the eggs don’t curdle.
- Pour the custard mixture over the bread in the dish and gently press the bread pieces down with a spoon so they soak up the liquid.
- Let the dish stand for about 10 minutes so the bread absorbs some of the custard.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden and slightly crisp and the center feels springy when pressed with a spoon.
- After removing from the oven, let stand for 5–10 minutes, dust the top with powdered sugar, and serve warm.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
Bread pudding is one of those recipes that prove how little it takes to create real comfort food. A few basic ingredients, a bit of time in the oven, and you get a dessert that fills the kitchen with a cozy aroma and makes excellent use of leftover bread.
