Description

This Irresistible Old Fashioned Bread Pudding delivers a golden-brown exterior and a luxuriously creamy interior, blending simple pantry staples—stale French bread, rich dairy, eggs, and sugar—with aromatic vanilla and optional spirits. By toasting bread in butter, you introduce a crispy bite that contrasts perfectly with the custard’s silkiness. Variations draw from Southeast Asian puding roti traditions, incorporating coconut milk, pandan, or gula melaka for tropical flair.

Ingredients

Scale

1 long loaf of French bread
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup raisins
4 cups milk
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
½ cup dark rum or whisky (or substitute with ½ cup milk if preferred)

For the Glaze

½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Spray a 2-quart casserole dish or an 8×8″ square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).

Tear or cut the French bread into bite-sized pieces.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the ½ cup of butter. Add the bread pieces and gently stir until they’re golden brown and crusty, allowing the bread to absorb the butter.

Transfer the browned bread to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the raisins evenly over the top.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the rum or whisky (or extra milk, if you’ve omitted the alcohol).

Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and raisins, pressing down lightly to ensure all pieces are moistened. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the custard.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is lightly golden.

While the pudding bakes, whisk together the melted butter and powdered sugar until smooth to make the glaze.

When the bread pudding is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the warm pudding before serving.

Notes

Bread choice: Day-old baguette, brioche, or roti canai-style flatbreads work beautifully.
Soak time: Allow at least 10 minutes for thorough custard absorption.
Baking cues: Look for a slight jiggle—overbaking leads to dryness.
Make-ahead: Assemble, cover, and refrigerate overnight; bake before serving.
Glaze options: Classic butter glaze, rum syrup, or spice-infused drizzle customize final flavor.