Bread Pudding
Some days call for comfort—the kind that fills the house with warmth and the air with cinnamon. On one such afternoon, I found myself with a stale baguette, a quiet kitchen, and the perfect excuse to make one of my favorite nostalgic desserts: Bread Pudding. It’s humble, forgiving, and deeply satisfying. And when baked slowly in a water bath, it transforms into something soft, golden, and quietly elegant.
Bread pudding is a classic, nearly forgotten method to transform stale bread into something delicious. I turned a three-day-old baguette into a delightful dessert that everyone enjoyed.
This time, I wanted to make it just for me. No holiday, no guests—just a moment to slow down and savor the ritual.
Bread pudding ingredients. Stale Baguette, milk butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, walnuts and cinnamon 
Cut up Baguette in cubes 
Mix eggs and sugar in bowl 
Add milk and vanilla extract to egg mixture. Stir 
Optional: You can add some soft butter to the milk or on top of the bread mixture 
Pour milk-egg mixture and vanilla extract into the bowl with the bread 
Heat the water water in a roasting pan and sit the casserole dish inside 
Optional: Add walnuts (roasted) or/and raisins in to the bread mixture. Press down mixture 
Cover casserole dish tightly with Alufoil. Place covered casserole into the hot water bath roasting pan 
Bake at 350 F for 60 min. 
Remove casserole from oven and take off Alu -foil. Bake an additional couple minutes until golden brown 
Remove bread casserole from oven and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon while still hot 
Bread pudding
The Setup: Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor
I began by preheating the oven to 350°F and buttering a casserole dish—generously, so the edges would crisp just right. The baguette, though stale, was still soft enough to cut. I cubed it into bite-sized pieces and layered them into the dish like puzzle pieces waiting for custard.
In a separate bowl, I beat together:
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup sugar
Then I stir in:
• 500 ml milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Optional add-ins like raisins, dried cranberries, or roasted nuts are always welcome. But this time I kept it simple. I added just a sprinkle of cinnamon and the promise of sweetness.
The Pour and the Press
I poured the custard mixture over the bread cubes, letting it soak in slowly. With the back of a spoon, I pressed everything down gently, helping the bread absorb the liquid. The casserole dish filled nearly to the top, but I left about 1.5 inches of space—just enough for the pudding to rise without overflowing.
The Water Bath: Gentle Baking
I covered the dish tightly with foil and placed it into a large roasting pan filled with hot water. The water came two-thirds up the sides of the dish, creating a gentle, even heat that would coax the pudding into softness.
Be sure to check several times throughout the cooking process to ensure there’s enough water in the saucepan. If needed, add some hot water to maintain the level. The casserole dish or mold should remain two-thirds submerged in the hot water at all times.
It baked for about 60 minutes on the middle rack, and when I removed the foil, the custard was set and the top just beginning to turn golden. I returned it to the oven for a few more minutes, watching as the surface crisped and caramelized.
The Finish: Sweet and Soft
After cooling slightly, I dusted the top with cinnamon and confectioner’s sugar. The scent was irresistible—vanilla, spice, and toasted bread. I spooned a warm portion into a bowl and took that first bite: tender, creamy, with just the right hint of sweetness.
A Dish That Feeds the Soul
Bread pudding is more than a way to use up stale bread—it’s a dish that invites reflection. It’s quiet, unpretentious, and full of heart. Whether you dress it up with fruit and nuts or keep it simple, it’s a bake that brings comfort in every spoonful.
If you’ve never made bread pudding, I hope this inspires you to try. And if you have your own version—perhaps with rum-soaked raisins or a drizzle of caramel—I’d love to hear how you make it yours.
Recipe Tips
You can use a variety of breads for this recipe. These include baguette, bread rolls, white bread, toast, raisin rolls, or even sweet yeast bread. Pretty much anything goes! While the bread may be stale, it should still be soft enough to cut into pieces.
Once the bread pudding is finished and still warm, generously sprinkle it with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. It can be served alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream, vanilla sauce, or even warm apple sauce for an added touch of flavor.
Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 stale Baguette (still soft enough to cut)
- 2 tbsp butter to wipe out the casserole
- 500 ml milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 3/4 cup raisins, dried cranberries, roasted walnuts or almonds.
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
You can use Baguette, bread rolls, white bread, toast, raisin rolls or sweet yeast bread – anything goes. The bread may be stale, but you still should be able to cut it.
Optional: Add raisins, dried cranberries, roasted walnuts or almonds.
Can be served warm with vanilla ice cream or apple sauce
Instructions
- First grease a casserole dish with butter and preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Cut the baguette or toast into small cubes and layer them in the dish.
- Now beat the eggs with the sugar a bowl until creamy and stir in the milk and vanilla extract.
- Then pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes.
- Fill the casserole dish up to a maximum of 1.5” below the rim, as the pudding will still rise a little.
- After layering and pouring in the egg and vanilla milk, press the ingredients firmly with a spoon.
- Let stand until some custard is absorbed
- Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Add hot water to a large roasting pan and place the casserole dish in it.
- The casserole dish must be two thirds immersed in hot water.
- Bake the bread pudding on the middle rack in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes at 350 F.
- At end of baking remove the casserole dish from the pot and take off the foil.
- Place bread pudding back in the oven and bake an additional couple minutes until top is golden brown.
- Remove, let cool slightly, dust with cinnamon and confectioner sugar, serve.
Notes
The bread pudding is cooked in a covered mold or casserole dish which is immersed in hot water. Check several times during the cooking process whether there is still enough water in the saucepan. Pour in some hot water if necessary. The casserole dish or mold should always be two-thirds immersed in hot water.
The walnuts are a nice touch.