Bread Pudding with Butter Rum Sauce
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours, 20 minutes (includes soaking)
Yield: serves 12
Ingredients:
12–16 ounce (340–454g) loaf of sturdy day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (around 10–12 cups)
7 large eggs
2 and 1/2 cups (600g/ml) whole milk
1 cup (240g/ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (60g/ml) spiced rum (or regular dark/golden rum)
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (150–180g) raisins, cinnamon chips, or chocolate chips (or mix of any)
Butter Rum Sauce:
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 Tbsp-size pieces
1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (120g/ml) heavy cream
2 Tablespoons spiced rum (or regular dark/golden rum)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Let the cubed bread sit out uncovered for a few hours or up to 24 hours. (If you don’t have enough time, see Notes section below.)
Make the bread pudding: Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan (or any 3–4-quart baking dish) with nonstick spray. Spread the bread cubes in the pan. Sprinkle the raisins and/or cinnamon chips evenly over the bread cubes.
In a large bowl (preferably with a pour spout), whisk together eggs, milk, cream, rum, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Pour evenly over the bread.
Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. This gives the bread a chance to soak up the custard and is a key step in this recipe.
Remove bread pudding from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Bake, uncovered, for 50–55 minutes, or until the center is set (no longer liquid-y). If the top of the bread pudding is beginning to brown too much, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
Make the butter rum sauce: Place the sliced butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, and stir/whisk until melted and combined. Slowly pour heavy cream into the saucepan, whisking the entire time. Bring to a boil, then stop whisking and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the sauce simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the rum and salt. Let cool for at least 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
Remove bread pudding from the oven and cool for 5–10 minutes before serving. Bread pudding deflates slightly as it cools. Pour butter rum sauce all over the bread pudding, or serve each slice with butter rum sauce. Cut into slices and serve warm with ice cream, if desired.
Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes:
Freezing Instructions: To freeze the unbaked pudding, prepare the recipe through step 4 (after soaking) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and continue with step 5, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
You can also freeze leftover baked and cooled bread pudding for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat to your liking in the microwave or cover and bake in a 300°F (149°C) oven until warm throughout, at least 20 minutes.
Bread: Crusty, somewhat stale bread is best for bread pudding. If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to let the bread sit out as instructed in step 1, spread the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes. Let cool, then continue with the recipe.
Rum: Spiced rum adds depth to both the custard and sauce. You can use a dark rum or even bourbon in a pinch. For an alcohol-free version, simply replace rum with heavy cream or milk in the egg custard and add 1/2 teaspoon rum extract or an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. For the butter rum sauce, replace with 1/2 teaspoon rum extract or vanilla extract.
Raisins/Cinnamon Chips/Chocolate Chips: These mix-ins add extra texture and flavor to every bite of bread pudding. I love the combo of half juicy raisins (either golden or dark) and half cinnamon baking chips, but you can use just one or the other, whatever your preference. Taste testers also loved a version with chocolate chips! In the pictured bread pudding, I skipped the cinnamon chips and chocolate chips and used half golden raisins and half dark raisins. You can use any combination of these add-ins, totaling around 1 cup (150–180g).
Can I Make This Nondairy? You can replace the whole milk with almond milk or oat milk, but I don’t recommend skipping the heavy cream entirely. As a result, you’ll lose a lot of rich flavor and texture. The closest substitute is canned full-fat coconut milk, but the result will be different.
Success Tips for Bread Pudding:
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Use Quality Bread. Bread is—obviously!— the main ingredient in bread pudding, so don’t skimp here. Flimsy sliced sandwich bread makes for a flat, soggy bread pudding, so you want to avoid that. Rather, go for a fancy loaf like challah or brioche. You could also use French bread or a baguette, sourdough, or even croissant bread. These sturdier breads are able to soak up the custard without falling apart.
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Let the Bread Get Stale. When you have the quality bread you need, let it sit out overnight (or for at least a few hours) to get a little stale. Like sausage & herb stuffing and bagel breakfast casserole, bread pudding is best when the bread is somewhat stale. If you forgot to leave time to let the bread get stale, you can spread the cubes of bread out on a baking sheet and lightly toast them in the oven for 10 minutes.
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Give It a Rest. Assemble the dish and then, before baking it, let it sit for several hours—or even overnight—in the refrigerator. This gives the crusty bread the time it needs to soak up the flavorful egg custard. You can leave the prepared bread pudding in the refrigerator anywhere from 4 hours to 24 hours. I find the longer the bread soaks, the tastier it is.
FAQ’s:
What is the best bread for bread pudding?
For the best bread pudding results, use challah, brioche, French bread, or baguette, sourdough bread, or even croissant bread. These sturdier breads are able to soak up the custard without falling apart. Avoid thin and flimsy sandwich bread.
Can I make this without alcohol?
Yes. For an alcohol-free version, simply replace rum with heavy cream or milk in the egg custard and add 1/2 teaspoon rum extract or an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. For the butter rum sauce, replace with 1/2 teaspoon rum extract or vanilla extract.
Can I use nondairy milk in bread pudding?
You can replace the whole milk with almond milk or oat milk, but I don’t recommend skipping the heavy cream entirely. As a result, you’ll lose a lot of rich flavor and texture. The closest substitute is canned full-fat coconut milk, but the result will be different.
Can I freeze bread pudding?
Yes. Bake it, cool completely, then cover the top with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, remove the plastic wrap, cover with just aluminum foil, and then reheat in a 300°F (149°C) oven for around 20 minutes. For best results, make the butter rum sauce fresh.
Recipe courtesy of Sally’s Baking Addiction.com
