Classic Bread Pudding Recipe

Certainly! Here’s a simple recipe for making classic bread pudding:

Ingredients:
– 4 cups of cubed bread (stale or day-old bread works best)
– 2 cups of whole milk
– 3 large eggs
– 1 cup of granulated sugar
– 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
– 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
– 1/2 cup of raisins or other dried fruits (optional)
– Softened butter for greasing the baking dish

For the Sauce (Optional):
– 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
– 1/2 cup of heavy cream
– 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
– 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
– A pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a baking dish with softened butter.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.

3. Warm the milk in a saucepan over low heat until it is just about to boil. Slowly add the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.

4. Place the cubed bread in the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread, making sure all the bread is soaked. Allow it to sit for about 10-15 minutes, pressing down on the bread occasionally to ensure absorption.

5. If desired, sprinkle raisins or other dried fruits over the top of the bread mixture.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.

7. While the bread pudding is baking, you can prepare the sauce (if using). In a saucepan, melt the butter, then add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Stir continuously over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce has slightly thickened.

8. Once the bread pudding is done, you can serve it warm with the optional sauce drizzled over the top.

Enjoy your delicious homemade bread pudding!