Description
This Old Fashioned Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce is a rich, comforting dessert that combines tender custard-soaked bread with warm spices and a luscious homemade rum sauce. Perfectly golden baked with optional raisins for added texture and sweetness, this classic recipe brings nostalgic flavors to your table with a delightful boozy twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread Pudding
- 6 cups stale bread, cubed (preferably challah or brioche)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Rum Sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish ensuring it’s coated evenly for easy removal of the pudding after baking.
- Prepare Bread: Place the cubed stale bread in a large mixing bowl and set it aside, ready to soak up the custard mixture.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Combine: Pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes. Gently stir to ensure all bread pieces are evenly coated. Add the raisins if using, mixing them throughout.
- Let it Sit: Allow the bread and custard mixture to rest for 10-15 minutes. This soaking time lets the bread absorb the creamy custard fully for maximum flavor and moisture.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the soaked bread mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly for uniform baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the custard is set.
- Cool: Remove the bread pudding from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the pudding to set slightly and make serving easier.
- Melt Butter (Rum Sauce): In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until fully liquid and warm.
- Add Sugar and Cream: Stir in the brown sugar and heavy cream, continuously mixing until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth and heated through.
- Add Rum: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the dark rum and vanilla extract to combine well.
- Serve: Drizzle the warm rum sauce generously over individual portions of bread pudding just before serving to enhance flavor and moisture.
Notes
- Using stale bread is important as it absorbs the custard better than fresh bread.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute milk and cream with coconut milk or almond milk, and use a suitable butter alternative for the sauce.
- Raisins are optional but add a nice texture and sweetness to the pudding.
- Dark rum is recommended for deeper flavor, but you may substitute with spiced rum or omit alcohol for a kid-friendly version.
- Ensure not to overbake to prevent the pudding from becoming dry; it should be moist inside with a golden crust.
