Golden, custardy bread pudding with caramelised top and tender, creamy interior — the definitive British comfort dessert.
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.
Serves 6
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.
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.
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.
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.
Brioche or panettone in place of white bread makes an incredibly rich and indulgent version.
The longer you let the bread soak in the custard, the better the texture — overnight in the fridge works wonderfully.
Serve at 'just set' — if it wobbles gently when you shake the dish, it will be perfectly silky when served.
Weigh dry ingredients on a scale instead of using cups — grams are the difference between a tender and a tough crumb.
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.
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.
Bread pudding dates back to 11th-century Britain when frugal cooks soaked stale bread in custard rather than waste it. By the 19th century it had become an established British pudding. The modern restaurant-quality version was popularised in the 1980s and 1990s.
Yes — assemble, pour over the custard and refrigerate uncovered overnight. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 5 minutes to the baking time.
A water bath — the baking dish is placed inside a larger roasting tin filled with boiling water. It regulates the temperature and prevents the custard from curdling or drying out.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 6 servings total
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