Bread pudding is one of those family favorite desserts that brings back memories of cozy gatherings and celebrations, especially during the holiday season. A classic bread pudding recipe is a must have for any home baker, and this recipe is the perfect starting point. I made mine with buttery brioche, a simple custard, and a warm buttery rum sauce that is just to die for. (I may have just eaten it by the spoonful…) This recipe will be on my table for many cozy gatherings this fall and I hope you give it a try!

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of bread (I used brioche, but you can use french bread, sourdough, or even croissants.)
• Whole milk
• Heavy cream
• Melted butter
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Dark rum, spiced rum, white rum or rum extract for non-alcoholic versions
• Cinnamon
• Cardamom (you could also use nutmeg.)

Instructions:

• Prepare the Bread: Start by cutting your bread into cubes. If your bread is very soft, (like the brioche I used was,) I suggest toasting it on a baking sheet for 8-10 minutes to add a bit of crisp texture to the bread. If you use stale bread or something more crusty, you can skip that step. 
• Make the Custard Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the warm whole milk, melted butter, brown sugar,  1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, and spices, until smooth. This egg mixture will soak into the bread and create a rich custardy texture. 

• Combine and Bake: Arrange the cubed bread in a buttered 8×8 baking dish (or something similar,) and pour the custard slowly and evenly over the bread, tossing gently as needed. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top and the custard is set and no longer liquid-y. (After 40 minutes I still noticed some wet ingredients when I nudged some bread to the side and baked everything a bit longer.)
• Make the Butter Rum Sauce: While the pudding bakes, make the rum sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add the brown sugar. When the sugar is dissolved, add the heavy cream and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add heavy cream over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth and slightly thickened. Lower the heat to low heat, add the rum, and let it cook for a few minutes more.
• Serve: Serve your rum bread pudding warm with a generous drizzle of the warm sauce. Top with whipped cream if desired. 

Tips:

• For a non-alcoholic version, swap the rum for rum extract.
• Make it croissant bread pudding for a flakier, buttery texture.
• Add a dollop of whipped cream for an extra touch.

What type of bread should I use?

There are lots of options that would work for this recipe. I used toasted brioche, but any old bread that is a little stale would work. I suggest French bread, sourdough, Italian bread, challah bread, or anything similar. 

Want individual portions? Combine the bread cubes and milk mixture in a larger bowl and then transfer to smaller ramekins. You will likely need to decrease baking time by 10-15 minutes. 

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Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Custardy bread pudding topped with warm butter rum sauce, a simple and delicious dessert.

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Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) loaf (6-8 cups) bread*, cubed 1 1/2 inches
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

For the sauce:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2T-1/4 cup rum

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and butter a 8x8-inch baking dish.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add milk and warm it through (don’t boil).
3. In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom.
4. Pour the warm milk mixture into the bowl with the egg mixture, whisking to combine.
5. Place the bread cubes in the baking dish, then pour the milk mixture over the bread.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is set.

Meanwhile make the sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter fully.
2. Add the brown sugar, stirring constantly. Continue cooking until the sugar dissolves completely into the butter, forming a smooth mixture.
3. Gradually pour in the heavy cream while stirring. Allow the sauce to come to a gentle simmer, and cook for another 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully stir in the dark rum. Cook for 2-10 minutes depending on if you want to cook off some of the alcohol or not. (This will lessen the strong rum flavor.)
5. Let the sauce cool for a few minutes before serving. It will thicken more as it cools, but you can reheat it if needed.

Serving:

Serve bread pudding warm with rum sauce and whipped cream if desired.

Notes

You can use brioche, challah, french bread, or really any type of bread you like. If the bread is fresh and soft I suggest toasting it, if it's stale or older you can skip that step.

The range in rum depends on if you want a booze-forward sauce or not. I added the full 1/4 cup and cooked the sauce for 8-10 minutes until the flavor was just right.

Did you make this recipe?

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