An old and humble dessert dating back to the 11th century created by soaking leftover stale bread in a combination of milk, sugar, eggs, nuts, and fruits, then baked into a delicious dessert has come a long way. Over the centuries it has gained a reputation as a comfort food and is a featured dessert item in trendy restaurants, with bakers making new variations of the dish catering to local tastes and preferences.
Where did it come from? United Kingdom. Bread Pudding is a truly global dish. Food historians trace the history of bread pudding to the early 11th and 12th centuries in Europe, but the dish has been popular in England since the 13th century. Early settlers brought pudding to America. Today in New Orleans, local bread with a crispy crust and a light interior is combined with sweet custard, resulting in a light, airy, and decadent dessert. On the other hand in Louisiana they add everything from white chocolate to strawberry compotes and from Creole cream cheese to caramel sauce with brown sugar and rum. Other countries have their own take on bread pudding. In Mexico, there’s capirotada, a bread pudding layered with cheese and soaked in brown sugar syrup. Egypt has Om Ali, a pudding made from puff pastry, milk or cream, raisins, and almonds. The Indian version is probably shahi tukda, a dish made from bread, clarified butter, saffron, sugar, rosewater, and almonds
Perfect for – after 8 dessert ofcourse, but we don’t mind snacking on it either. And then imagine warming up the leftover pudding and having it for breakfast with your morning fix – pure bliss!
Prep + cooking time: 1 hour
RECIPE : Classic Bread udding From Grandma’s Kitchen – A Family Favourite (for 8 foodies)
Equipment required: 2 pots, a baking dish, and an oven ( Buy on amazon)
What your fridge should have: eggs, milk, butter, bread
Ingredients (how much)
4 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
4 whole eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon powder or nutmeg powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 slices of stale bread cubed
1 cup raisins
Whipped cream (optional)
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C. In a saucepan heat milk and butter over medium flame until butter is melted and milk is hot.
2. In large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir in bread cubes and raisins. Stir in milk mixture. Pour into ungreased deep (preferably round) baking dish.
3. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean.
4. Serve warm with whipped cream.
Best accompaniments – Freshly brewed tea or coffee
Substitutes: You may substitute raisins with chocolate chips, the whipped cream with ice cream and even pour a tablespoon or two of Dulce de leche before serving.
Find more dessert recipes here.
Kitchen Essentials:
Baking Dish
Convection Oven
Dessert Plate
