Sweet Bread Pudding

I’m on a mission to create the perfect bread pudding. That’s a subjective statement, of course, because what’s perfect to one person might be not so great to another. My perfect bread pudding has a crunchy top layer, but the bread underneath is almost custardy. I’m getting closer, but as a friend at work said, it’s kind of one of those “I’ll know it when I taste it” situations. All too true.

This recipe is adapted from one I found at The Kitchn, and I jokingly called it Coronary Bread Pudding because of the six eggs and five cups of whole milk. If you’re looking for a light dessert, keep looking! This is an incredibly rich treat and it was a huge hit in my office, where I served it with butterscotch sauce.  It can sit out for brief periods of time for serving, but do keep it refrigerated for safety. Nobody wants food poisoning!

Ingredients

• 10 cups challah bread cubes (about 16 ounces)
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1 tablespoon softened butter
• 5 cups whole milk
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (I needed two baking sheets) and toast for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until cubes are dry but not brown.

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish or pan with softened butter and place bread cubes and pecans in pan, stirring slightly to distribute the pecans but being careful to not let them all fall to the bottom of the pan.

In a large bowl, combine milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt; carefully whisk to combine, then pour mixture over bread cubes. Gently press to allow milk mixture to soak into cubes.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour or overnight to allow cubes to soak up as much liquid as possible; I soaked mine overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover baking dish and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is lightly toasted.

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then serve warm, or allow to cool completely and serve cold. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.