How to Make Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding from Scratch

Use up stale bread by making bread pudding.

When the weather turns cool, you might start looking for the simple pleasures of old-fashioned recipes like this bread pudding recipe. You can use any stale bread or bread crusts you have on hand. This bread pudding is easy and quick to prepare and cooks in about 40 minutes. Serve warm with or without sauce.

Things You'll Need

• 2 cups milk
• 4 cups cubed bread
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tbsp grated lemon rind
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• Saucepan
• Whisk
• 9-by-9-inch pan

Instructions

Bread Pudding

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add milk to butter. Whisk together. Make sure that milk does not scorch. Heat to just before boiling. Remove from heat, allow to cool to room temperature.

3. Add sugar, eggs, salt, raisins and cinnamon to milk mixture.

4. Arrange breadcrumbs in 9-by-9-inch inch pan. Pour milk mixture over breadcrumbs.

5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Sauce for Bread Pudding

1. Make a vanilla, lemon or nutmeg sauce. Mix together in a saucepan 1 cup sugar and 2 tbsp cornstarch.

2. Slowly whisk 2 cups boiling water into mixture.

3. Boil for one minute. Add 4 tablespoons butter. Add 2 tsp vanilla or 2 tsp lemon juice with 1 tbsp grated lemon rind or 2 teaspoons nutmeg. Keep hot until ready to serve. Drizzle over individual bread pudding portions as you serve each one.

Tips & Warnings

• Use chopped dates instead of raisins if you prefer.

• If you don't have stale bread, use toasted and buttered bread instead.

References

• Epicurious; Bread Pudding; Maya Angelou; 2004
• All Recipes: Bread Pudding II
• Cooks.com: Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce