Bread Pudding

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Bread Pudding

Yield: 1 pudding

# of Servings: 8 to 10

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 loaf day old challah

½ cup (2.7 oz / 75 g) golden raisins, or dried cherries
1 cup (8 oz / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 qt. (32 fl oz) milk
1 cup (8 fl oz) heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
¼ cup (1.75 oz / 28 g) granulated sugar

5 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
¾ cup (5.25 oz / 149 g) granulated sugar

1 pinch sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, as needed
Butter, softened as needed for the baking dish

Raspberry Sauce, optional

Special tools and equipment needed:

• A two-quart shallow baking dish
• Roasting pan, large enough for the baking dish

Pre-recipe preparations:

• Cut the crust off the challah and cut the loaf into ¾†cubes. Spread the cubes on cookie sheet and let them dry out for at least one hour.
• Butter the baking dish. Set aside.
• Fill a water kettle and bring to the boil. This is needed for the water bath.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.

Directions

1. Place milk, heavy cream, and sugar in medium sauce pan. Whisk to combine. Split vanilla bean down the middle and scrape the seeds, 
2. Bring to a simmer, turn off the flame, and let steep for 10 minutes.
3. Place eggs and egg yolks in large mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and whisk to combine.
4. Bring milk and cream milk back to simmer. Temper the egg mixture by slowly whisking in hot cream and milk. Once about â…” of the milk is added, pour in the remainder and whisk until combined.
5. Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a large container or 2 qt measuring cup.
6. Place the baking dish in the roasting pan. Distribute the bread cubes and the dried fruit over the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the custard over and press the bread cubes and dried fruit into the custard.
7. Pour hot water in the roasting pan until it reaches about ¼ of the way up the baking dish. Carefully place roasting pan in oven. Pour additional hot water until it reaches halfway up the baking dish.
8. Bake until the top feels firm to the touch, and a thermometer in the center reads 175°F, about 45 to 50 minutes. The custard will continue to cook and firm as it cools.
9. Serve at room temperature or cold, with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar, and optional raspberry sauce.
10. Keep in the refrigerator for up to two days.