Bread Pudding with Vanilla Caramel Sauce
Day-old bread baked in a spiced vanilla custard, served with a separate sugar, cream, butter, and vanilla caramel sauce.
Ingredients
For the Bread Pudding
- 6 cups day-old bread (cubed) day-old, loosely measured, roughly 3/4–1-inch cubes; no mold
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Vanilla Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup heavy cream (warmed)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Pan preparation
- as needed cooking spray
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch dish. Arrange bread cubes loosely and evenly.
- Whisk eggs with the custard milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, spices, and salt. Pour over bread and gently moisten the top pieces. Soak 10 minutes.
- Bake loosely covered 30 minutes, then uncovered 15–20 minutes until the middle is set and at least 160°F.
- Meanwhile, dissolve sauce sugar in its water in a roomy saucepan. Cook to amber, take off heat, and carefully whisk in warm cream in small additions. Finish with butter, vanilla, and a pinch salt.
- Stand the baked pudding 10 minutes, divide into 8 portions, and pass warm caramel separately.
Notes
Custard ingredients and caramel ingredients are separate. Sauce cooks during the baking stage. Ten-minute soak and ten-minute rest are included. Egg custard 160°F; reheat leftovers 165°F. Hot caramel foams when cream is added and can cause burns; use a roomy pan.