Here’s a classic and comforting recipe for Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce. It’s perfect for using up leftover bread and has a deliciously rich vanilla sauce to complement the warm bread pudding.
Bread Pudding Ingredients:
- 6 cups day-old bread, cubed (use French bread, brioche, or challah)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ cup raisins (optional)
- 2 tbsp butter, melted (for greasing the dish)
Vanilla Sauce Ingredients:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
For the Bread Pudding:
- Preheat the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with melted butter.
- Prepare the bread:
- Cut the day-old bread into 1-inch cubes. If the bread is not stale, you can lightly toast the cubes in the oven for about 5-7 minutes.
- Make the custard mixture:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Assemble the bread pudding:
- Spread the bread cubes evenly in the greased baking dish.
- If using raisins, scatter them over the bread.
- Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread, pressing down gently with a spoon or spatula to ensure the bread absorbs the liquid.
- Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes to soak up the custard.
- Bake the bread pudding:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set (a knife inserted into the center should come out clean).
- Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly while you prepare the vanilla sauce.
For the Vanilla Sauce:
- Melt the butter:
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Make the sauce:
- Add the sugar and cream to the melted butter, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Add the vanilla:
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Serve:
- Pour the warm vanilla sauce over the bread pudding before serving or serve it on the side.
Notes:
- You can customize the bread pudding by adding chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruits.
- Leftover bread pudding can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in the oven or microwave. The vanilla sauce will also keep for a few days in the fridge.
Enjoy this warm and comforting Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
