Using stale bread to make bread pudding
Although it's referred to as a pudding, bread pudding doesn’t have the gelatin-like texture of a classic pudding. Instead, it’s a kind of bread “cake” made with eggs, sugar, and butter. You can “recycle” any leftovers to enrich the dessert in dozens of different ways.
Our bread pudding recipe
Let 1 lb. stale bread soften in 1 cup milk at room temperature, then squeeze any excess liquid out of the bread. Pour the milk into a bowl with ¾ stick melted butter, ¼ cup sugar, 4 large beaten eggs, and vanilla and cinnamon to taste. Mix the ingredients well, then add the bread and a handful of raisins that have been softened in warm water. Transfer everything to an oven-safe dish and bake at 350°F for around 40 minutes, then serve warm with powdered sugar. It will keep in the fridge for up to two days.
Bread and jam pudding
Use soft sliced sandwich bread to make jam sandwiches, then cut each sandwich into four parts and distribute them inside an oven-safe dish. Pour the liquid mixture from the previous recipe over the sandwich cubes and bake in the oven as indicated above.
Pan brioche bread pudding
You can also use sweet bread, like pan brioche, or leftover pastries (filled or plain), to make bread pudding according to the previous recipe.
With fruit
Fresh fruit, such as blueberries and raspberries, which will add an acidic flavor contrast, while apples and pears add a festive flair.
For Christmas
When Christmas arrives, remember that you can use any leftover panettone or pandoro to make a bread pudding. Enrich it even more with chocolate chips or hazelnut cream.