About Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is a delight for some and a horror for others. Classic bread pudding has usually been considered a bland dish made for children and invalids.
Thankfully, we are never satisfied with the status quo, so bread pudding has become a springboard for imaginative cooks. Explore the web to find thousands of variations, both sweet and savory.

History

Bread pudding has existed informally since the invention of bread, which of course led to stale bread leftovers. Bread pudding exists all over the world; wherever you find bread you'll find some form of bread pudding. Today's dish of milk, eggs and bread, formally known as Bread Pudding, has been around for several centuries, since home ovens became common.

Function

The function of bread pudding is to turn unappetizing leftovers into delicious food. Bread pudding takes stale bread and transforms it into a tempting treat while using inexpensive and readily available ingredients. Bread pudding gets people to eat bread without complaining about endless supplies of eggs, bread and milk.

Types

There are two basic types of bread pudding, sweet and savory. Sweet is much more common, but sweet and savory are both making their way onto fancy restaurant menus. Sweet also has a sub-category, bread and butter pudding. The difference here is that the bread is left in slices and buttered. Sweet will vary according to the country of origin, using ingredients such as dried fruit, nuts, spices, and flavored liquids, such as rose water. Savory can be hearty and meaty or light and accented with fish and herbs. It can even be vegetarian.

Benefits

Bread pudding can be a delicious and rich combination of ingredients, but it can also be a simple dish of easy to digest components. Sweet or savory, bread pudding is an excellent dish for those whose tummies are having problems. Also, keep bread pudding in mind as a great way to stretch your budget.

Potential

Bread pudding is traditionally a combination of eggs, milk and bread. Make changes from that simple formula according to your taste. While delicious, eggs aren't a strictly necessary ingredient. The milk can be from a cow, but it can also be from a coconut or soy beans. Vary the bread according to the end result, such as using a hearty rye bread for a strongly savory recipe, or brioche for an upscale dessert.

Expert Insight

Bread pudding is a rediscovered gem for chefs and for home cooks. Explore almost any restaurant menu and you'll find bread pudding for dessert, usually with a custard based sauce which can be flavored with anything from vanilla to fruit to bourbon whiskey. Savory bread puddings are also finding their way onto menus as side dishes. Create your own bread puddings by adding fresh or dried fruit, flavored liquids, herbs and spices. Vary the richness of the dish by using heavy cream, coconut cream, or skim milk, or by adding or subtracting egg yolks. Finally, add a sauce or gravy to enhance the basic dish. Experiment with bread pudding and it will become a favorite basic recipe instead of something to be endured.