Bread Pudding – Once Upon a Chef

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This bourbon-spiked challah bread pudding is the perfect dessert for a cozy night in.

Bread pudding is a warm and comforting dessert that originated as a way to use stale bread. It is made by combining chunks of bread with eggs, milk, sugar, and butter to create a rich custard. While it was once known as “poor man’s pudding,” there is nothing humble about this  modern version made with challah and a splash of bourbon—it is decadent in every way! The bourbon adds depth to the custard, with hints of caramel, vanilla, and nutty flavor, without making the pudding taste boozy. I highly recommend using it, but you can substitute it with more milk if you prefer. Serve the bread pudding warm from the oven topped with vanilla ice cream for a truly cozy and satisfying dessert. It’s like a hug in a bowl!

This dessert is delicious in its simplicity, but feel free to experiment with add-ins like chocolate chips, toasted nuts, dried fruit, or shredded coconut. You can even make a chocolate or apple rum raisin version. And don’t think of it as just dessert—it also makes a great brunch dish.

What You’ll Need To Make Bread Pudding

Enriched breads like challah and brioche are the best breads to use for bread pudding, but if you have a loaf of French or Italian bread, they’ll work too. Just avoid using sourdough because its tangy flavor doesn’t go well with the sweet custard. The bread can be fresh or slightly stale; actually day-old bread is perfect for this dessert, as it will more readily soak up the custard mixture.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl and then add the milk, sugar, melted butter, bourbon, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.

Whisk until evenly combined.

Mix in the challah cubes.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, and let stand at least 1 hour (or refrigerate overnight).

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the top is golden and puffy and the center is set. It’s normal for it to deflate after you remove it from the oven. The custard expands while baking and will settle as it cools.

How To Freeze Bread Pudding

The baked bread pudding can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap or in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Before serving, reheat in the oven until warmed through.

Serve the dessert warm from the oven topped with vanilla ice cream.

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