Bread pudding is probably the most utilitarian dessert you will ever eat. This mushy comfort food – with a texture more like custard than pudding – consists of a main ingredient that most households blithely throw out: stale bread.
The dessert, known as the “poor man’s pudding” became popular among England’s 13th century homemakers as a means of salvaging any meager scraps of bread to feed their families. (Not a bad idea today, by the way, considering the state of our economy).
A Recipe Born from Necessity
This recipe, born out of necessity, was originally made with just stale bread and water, then baked with whatever butter (or lard), fruit or spices that were available. Sometimes bourbon whiskey or rum was added for good measure.
Modern recipes are more appetizing – and richer – with the addition of milk or cream, eggs, and vanilla. Today there are dozens of incarnations of bread pudding including ones with dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries, others with fresh fruit such as blueberries, bananas, or apples.
Any Bread Will Do (Except White Sandwich Bread)
This particular recipe calls for whole wheat bread but any kind of bread will do (including white crust French or Italian bread). Just stay away from white sandwich bread, which will dissolve into an inedible mush. You can also use other varieties of bread including challah, raisin bread and scones. Do not use moldy bread!
This pudding must be baked in a water bath which will keep the pudding moist and prevent it from curdling.
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick unsalted butter, plus a little more for greasing pan)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon powdered ginger root (Note: you can use any combination of spices you have available, just make sure they add up to 2 teaspoons)
- ½ cup sugar (white or brown sugar okay; you can also use honey or maple syrup)
- 8 slices stale whole wheat bread with crusts, ripped into bite-sized pieces
- 3 eggs
- Pinch of salt
- Topping: ¼ cup of brown or white sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Banana Bread Pudding: In step 3, add 1 large overripe banana, mashed
- Apple-Raisin Bread Pudding: In step 3, add 1 cup peeled, grated apples and ¼ cup raisins
- Fresh Fruit Bread Pudding: In step 3, add 1 cup fresh blueberries, strawberries, or whatever fruit in season
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, over low heat, warm up the milk, butter, sugar and salt until butter melts (do not brown).
- Butter an 8-inch square (or 1 ½ quart) glass baking dish. Add cut up bread pieces to dish.
- Add any extra ingredients (such as banana, fresh or dried fruit, etc.) into the saucepan, and stir. Pour hot milk mixture into the baking dish with the bread. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes, occasionally submerge any pieces that float to the top.
- Lightly beat the eggs together in a separate bowl and stir into bread mixture. Sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture topping. Put the baking dish in a larger roasting pan. Fill larger pan with water within an inch of the top of the glass baking dish.
- Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the center comes clean when you insert a knife in the center. If you want to a crusty top, brown the pudding in the broiler for about 30 seconds.
You can serve this dessert hot (preferable on winter nights), or cold, topped with sweetened whipped cream. Bread pudding will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days (covered).
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