Classic Bread and Butter Pudding

About This Recipe

Bread and butter pudding is one of the finest expressions of British thrift cookery — originally created to use up stale bread, it has evolved into a proper dessert served in the finest restaurants. The key is a rich custard (eggs, cream, milk and vanilla) that soaks into the buttered bread, creating a golden, puffed top with crispy caramelised edges and a silky, almost soufflé-like interior.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 400 gwhite bread(slightly stale — brioche or white sandwich bread)
• 60 gunsalted butter(softened)
• 80 graisins or sultanas
• 3large eggs
• 2egg yolks
• 300 mldouble cream
• 200 mlwhole milk
• 80 gcaster sugar
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• ½ tspground nutmeg
• 2 tbspmarmalade or apricot jam(for the glaze)
• 1 tbspdemerara sugar(for topping)

Instructions

1. 1

   Layer the bread

   Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Generously butter both sides of each bread slice and cut diagonally into triangles. Butter a 1.5-litre oven dish. Layer the bread triangles overlapping in rows, scattering raisins between the layers and over the top.

   Slightly stale bread absorbs the custard without becoming too soggy.

2. 2

   Make and pour the custard

   Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, cream, milk, vanilla and half the nutmeg until well combined. Pour slowly over the bread, making sure all pieces are moistened. Press down gently. Leave to soak for at least 20 minutes.

3. 3

   Bake in a bain-marie

   Sprinkle demerara sugar and remaining nutmeg over the top. Place the dish in a larger roasting tin and pour boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden on top and the custard is just set with a slight wobble.

   The bain-marie distributes heat gently and prevents the custard from curdling or cracking.

4. 4

   Glaze and serve

   Warm the marmalade with a splash of water and brush over the top for a glossy finish. Serve warm with custard, cream or vanilla ice cream.

Variations

• •

  Croissant Bread Pudding: use day-old croissants for a supremely rich, buttery variation.

• •

  Marmalade and Orange: spread marmalade on the bread before layering and add orange zest to the custard.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or the whole dish at 160°C in a water bath for 15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions