Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding

Ingredients

Instructions

0 of 7 steps complete

1. 1Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. If your bread is fresh, spread the cubes on a sheet pan and bake 10 minutes to dry them out — dry bread drinks up the custard better.
2. 2Whisk the eggs, milk, 1 cup cream, granulated sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a large bowl until smooth.
3. 3Add the bread cubes and raisins if using, toss gently and let soak for 15 minutes, pressing the bread down occasionally so every piece absorbs the custard.
4. 4Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and drizzle the melted butter over the top. Bake 45–55 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp, the pudding is puffed, and a knife inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
5. 5While the pudding bakes, make the sauce: melt ½ cup butter with the brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the ¼ cup cream and simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened, then stir in the 1 tsp vanilla off the heat.
6. 6Let the pudding rest 10 minutes after baking. Serve warm squares with the vanilla sauce poured generously over the top.
7. 7Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave and warm the sauce separately before serving.