Ah, now we’re talking comfort food at its finest! Let’s make this feel like it came straight from Grandma’s kitchen. I’ll give you a classic bread pudding recipe along with a rich, creamy vanilla sauce.
Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
For the bread pudding:
- 6 cups stale bread (French, brioche, or white bread – cubed)
- 4 cups milk (whole milk for richness)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
- ½ cup raisins or other dried fruit (optional)
- 2 tbsp butter, melted (plus extra for greasing pan)
For the vanilla sauce:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, split
- 2 large egg yolks
Instructions
1. Prepare the Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Cube the bread and place in a large mixing bowl. If using raisins, sprinkle them over the bread cubes.
2. Make the Custard
- In another bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, milk, and melted butter.
- Pour the custard over the bread cubes. Gently press the bread down so it absorbs the custard. Let sit 10–15 minutes to soak.
3. Bake the Bread Pudding
- Pour soaked bread into the greased baking dish.
- Bake 45–50 minutes until golden brown and a knife inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Vanilla Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cream, and sugar. Heat gently until just simmering.
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks.
- Slowly pour a little hot milk mixture into the yolks to temper them, whisking constantly.
- Pour egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (do not boil – it will curdle).
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm over bread pudding.
Tips for Grandma’s Touch
- Use day-old bread for better texture. Fresh bread can get too mushy.
- Butter the top lightly before baking for a richer, golden crust.
- Add bourbon or rum to the custard for a grown-up version.
- Serve with extra vanilla sauce on the side so everyone can drizzle as much as they like.
If you want, I can also give a shortcut version that uses store-bought custard or quick sauce, but still tastes like Grandma made it.
Do you want me to do that?
