Bread and Butter Pudding is surely the ultimate transformation of leftover bread!! A classic comfort dessert, it’s custardy on the inside, golden and buttery on top. The only question is this: what will you serve it with? Ice cream, cream, custard – or something else?
I remember the first time I had Bread and Butter Pudding. I was really cynical. Stale bread for a dessert?? It sounded ridiculous.
How wrong I was. And how happy I was. Like a pig in mud, shovelling that moist, custardy pudding smothered in……..hmmm. I can’t remember. Probably ice cream. That’s my favourite. No wait, custard is my favourite. Homemade Custard. Can’t beat that.
No wait. Homemade Ice Cream and Homemade Custard. Ahhh. That is the ultimate combination, surely!!!
As I was doing my usual background research before sharing my Bread and Butter Pudding recipe, I was interested to learn that it’s called Bread Pudding in the States and there’s a quite well known New Orleans / Southern(?) version that is served with a sweet Bourbon Sauce.
This is Bread and Butter Pudding as we know it here in Australia, a classic English dessert. One key difference between this Australian/English version and the American version is that this – well, at least mine – uses far less sugar. I only use 1/2 cup of sugar compared to around 1 1/2 – 2 cups for the same quantity of bread in American versions.
I really think 1/2 cup of sugar is sweet enough, especially because this is the sort of dessert that really does need to be served with some kind of sauce or ice cream. So that provides extra sweetness.
Speaking of toppings!!! So I’ve already rattled on about ice cream and custard, but let’s not stop there! Cream is another obvious option, but the way I look at it, basically any sweet sauce goes great with Bread and Butter Pudding. Maple syrup, golden syrup, even honey, chocolate sauce, strawberry or other sweet sauces. You could even thin out a jam with hot water to turn that into a syrup!
Fellow Bread and Butter Pudding fans! TELL ME – what is your favourite topping? Let’s round out the list!! – Nagi xx
MORE WARM PUDDINGS FOR COLD WINTER NIGHTS
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Bread and Butter Pudding
Ingredients
- 7 heaped cups white bread, preferably slightly stale, cut into 2.5 cm / 1" cubes (Note 1)
- 1 cup sultanas or raisins (or more!)
Egg Mixture:
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml milk (low or full fat, not zero fat)
- 1 cup / 250ml heavy / thickened cream (or any other cream or even more full fat milk) (Note 2)
- 3 tbsp / 40 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup / 110g white sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Finishes / Serving
- 2 tbsp / 30 g unsalted butter, melted - for top pre baking
- 1 1/2 tbsp / 20 g unsalted butter, melted - for brushing post baking (optional)
- Icing sugar, for dusting
- Ice cream, cream, custard, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Place eggs in a large bowl, whisk briefly.
- Add remaining Egg Mixture ingredients and whisk.
- Add bread and sultanas, briefly mix, then set aside for 3 minutes to allow egg mixture to soak through the bread.
- Pour into a 10 cup / 2.5 litre / 2.5 quart baking dish. If you have heaps of sultanas on the surface, poke them in a bit (Note 3).
- Drizzle over 2 tbsp melted butter, then bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden on top and the inside is set but still slightly wobbly.
- Brush with remaining 1 1/2 tbsp melted butter (optional), then dust with icing sugar.
- Serve immediately, with toppings of choice! My favourites are ice cream, custard and cream.
Recipe Notes:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Bread and Butter Pudding recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
Mine!
(And for once, he’s right. They were on sale. I stocked up!!!)
Our kids have just asked us to come to dinner tonight and I would love to take your bread pudding but not sure how long it will keep after baking it in our kitchen and transferring to their home! Should I serve at room temp or can I give it a slight warm up before dessert needed and if so at what temp should I warm it up at??
Hi Daphne, you can serve at room temp or quickly zap in the microwave to warm it up 🙂
Amazing! Everyone loved it. I mixed stale bread, croissants and brioche. Finger licking/bowl licking good
Sounds like you nailed it Marie!!
Loved this recipe! Super easy to make and follow, bonus it tastes super yummy.
I substituted the bread for croissants, left out the raisins and made a condensed milk anglaise. Worked like a bomb.
I’m so glad it worked for you Shivani!
Amazing recipe!! Quick and simple
Wahoo, I’m so happy you liked it Afiyah! ❤️
After a bad bread and butter pudding experience as I child I swore that I could not stomach this dessert. The thought of soggy bread just grossed me out. But I said to myself “this is Nagi’s recipe, let’s give it a go” and oh my god! I have been converted. I had it with your Custard (Creme Anglaise) and I went from gagging to dreaming about this dessert. Can’t wait for my next conversion! 🙂 Thanks again
Glad to hear I could help convert you Suna! I feel a bit like a missionary now haha! — Nx
Nagi, how do you make this cream sauce you pour over the bread pudding in the photo?
All recipes that I make from your blog was a success! Thank you for sharing them with us!
Hi Lalenya – It’s my Homemade Custard. https://www.recipetineats.com/custard-creme-anglaise/
Love the website, Nagi! I’m going to try the bread pudding today!
Thanks Pamela, love to know what you think of the Bread and Butter Pudding once you’ve tried it! Enjoy! N x
Just an update…the Reese’s miniature peanut butter cups were a fantastic addition! I made them into fine crumbs and sprinkled them on top before baking. Excellent combination with the fruit and chocolate chips. This is a fantastic recipe and a great way to use up pantry staples. Thanks again!
Nagi, this recipe is perfect! I am accustomed to the sugary sweet Americanized version, but this is so much better with less sugar! I added a little bit of brown sugar in addition to the white sugar. I added chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Delicious and very quick and easy to make. I bake it in my countertop toaster oven and it turns out beautifully. Thank you for yet another exceptional recipe! Michelle
That’s great to hear Michelle! And I LOVE your additions. Thanks for letting me know! N x
This is my new addiction! I am baking another batch now since I have milk, eggs and hamburger buns I need to use up. This time I added mixed jumbo raisins, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and a few Reece’s minature peanut butter cups. Next time I am going to use canned peaches. It’s always fun to experiment!!
Avoid the issue of scorched raisins by plumping them beforehand. Put raisins and two TBSPs liquid – liquor, concentrated juice, water – in a glass or plastic measure and microwave for two minutes. Drain before adding to puding ingredients.
Loooove bread & butter pudding, I spread my homemade Cumquat Jam or other marmalade on the bread, Yummo, will definitely do it your way now with bread chunks.
I made your mum’s Japanese Cheesecake, it’s the best EVER! emailed her asking if ithe flour used is plain or s.r. haven’t heard back, I used plain, would you confirm please? Love your recipes & looove Dozer. 👍
A friend of mine makes her bread pudding with stale cinnamon rolls (unglazed); you could also use cinnamon bread or raisin bread.
Many years ago, I was watching “Pie in the Sky” (a brilliant British detective series starring Richard Griffiths, who wanted to retire and be a full-time chef). In one of the episodes, the prime suspects (two little old ladies) keep making him bread pudding, which he can’t get enough of because there’s something really unusual about it. At the end of the show, they confess that they butter the bread before cutting it up and they use vanilla sugar instead of plain sugar. I thought it was a great suggestion and have made my bread pudding like that ever since. (And I leave out the raisins because I don’t like them in anything other than curries.)
Thank you soooooo much for the recepi, nagi!!!
The best bread pudding I have ever made.
Im just gona stick with this recepi forever
I love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed this Shalini! N x
NAGI I HAVE TO SHOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK I MADE THE BEST DISCOVERY **EVER**!!!!
I had left over coconut milk from making your mango chicken curry, so I thought – I’ll just try to put some in the B&B pudding. And my god, it worked! It was beautiful with a lovely hint of that coconut flavour. Also, I added chocolate chips. Also I forgot to mix the butter into the mixture so I had to drizzle it alllll on top and it was bloody beautiful anyway.
Thank you again! (Ps my boyfriend now thinks I’m an amazing cook thanks to your recipes!)
I sometimes put marmalade in mine – but never when hubby is going to eat it!
Delicious recipe (as always) Nagi – nice to try a new version every now and again.
Currently have one in the oven made with the last Christmas Panettone. Smells delicious!
I’ll be having mine with double cream – hubby will be having ice cream, cream AND custard! LOL
Oooh! I love making bread and butter pudding with all sorts of leftover bread! I made one with brioche the other day, leftovers from a burger shoot – SO GOOD!
Nagi – could you add raspberry jam somewhere into this recipe do you think as a variation?
Oooh yes!!! How about thinning it with a tiny splash of boiling water then dribbling ribbons between the bread? 🙂
Oh my – I just drooled a little. Good thinking. I’d totally going to try this!!!!
Kia ora Nagi,
Daaam girl, your B&B pudding is the goods!
Arohanui
Deb
🙌🏻 Thanks Deb! And thanks for reminding me about this, I want to make a recipe video! 🙂 N x
Just made this and ate this and now everyone is moaning cos there’s no more!
It was yummy!
Thx so much.
That’s terrific to hear John! Thank you for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
HI Ms. Nagi,
Love your blog and your recipes,
Can I have the recipe of your bread, (that tasty sandwich bread) ,
Thanks, Joan
Hi Joan! I haven’t shared a loaf bread recipe yet 🙂 Coming soon!
Thank you very much,. 👌