Bread Pudding is a big hit in our house, especially in the winter. My husband loves it so much that he requested it for Valentine’s Day dessert this year! I haven’t always considered myself a bread pudding fan, but I do love this recipe for it. It calls for lots of delicious french bread, with just enough sweet, nutmeg-scented custard to hold everything together, and dried, sweetened cranberries that add a little zing of tartness to every bite. Served warm and topped with sweetened whipped cream, it is comfort food at its finest!
Our Favorite Bread Pudding
adapted from Williams Sonoma’s Essentials of Baking
1/2 lb grocery store french bread, cut into 1″ cubes, crust ON
1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries (or other dried fruit)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
sweetened whipped cream for topping
Spray a 2-qt baking dish with nonstick spray. Toss bread and dried cranberries gently and put in prepared dish. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, salt, and milk until well-combined. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and onto the bread. Using the back of a large spoon, gently push the bread down to make sure all pieces are wet. Allow to sit for 20 minutes so that the bread can soak up all of the custard. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the baking dish in a large roasting pan, and pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the side of the baking dish. Bake 40-45 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle of the pudding comes out clean. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and carefully lift out the baking dish. Allow it to cool on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve bread pudding warm, topped with sweetened whipped cream. Serves 4-6
I LOVE bread pudding, may have to attempt this one!
Ciera, let me know if you do try it! It is such an easy recipe, and I love the results. Not too squishy, not too dry–just perfect!