Michelle Darmody: How to bake the classic bread-and-butter pudding — and the mistakes to avoid

Bread and butter pudding with cream: a classic way to use up stale bread

During summer months I find that panzanella or pan con tomate are good ways to use up bread that has gone a little stale. 

At this time of year the combination of soft, warm interior and a sweet, crispy topping of a bread and butter pudding make for perfect comfort food that evokes cosy after-dinner mugs of tea.

The addition of sherry adds a subtle note to this particular recipe. You could equally use brandy which will give a little bit more of a kick, or omit either if you would prefer a more child-friendly version.

Bread and butter pudding is not something I grew up with but something I make now as an adult, it is a go-to, along with eggy bread, for using leftover bread. 

What is better than a recipe that uses leftovers and has the ability to make them taste better than they did originally. 

Dry, stale bread is essential for bread and butter pudding, the sweet milky custard brings it back to life. 

You want this dessert to be squidgy, with a wobble at its centre when still warm, it then firms up as it cools, making it easier to slice.

Bread and butter pudding

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Bread and butter pudding is not something I grew up with but something I make now as an adult, it is a go-to, along with eggy bread, for using leftover bread.

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 40 mins

Total Time

 60 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 70g golden raisins

• 30mls sherry

• 8 thick cut slices of bread

• 40g butter, soft

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

• 210ml milk

• 90ml cream

• zest 1 orange

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 15g light demerara sugar

Method

1. Soak the raisins in the sherry for about three hours or overnight if you have the time.

2. Preheat your oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4.

3. Butter the bread and cut each slice into four triangles.

4. Put half of the bread on the base of an ovenproof dish.

5. Remove the raisins from the sherry and sprinkle them onto the layer of bread. Keep any remaining sherry if there is some left.

6. Whisk the eggs with the milk, cream, zest and vanilla. Add in the sherry from the raisins.

7. Pour half of your liquid mixture over the bread.

8. Use the rest of the bread to make another layer. Pour the rest of the liquid over this.

9. Sprinkle the top with the demerara sugar and place into the centre of your oven.

10. Bake for 35/40 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.

Baker's tips 

I find it easier to use slices of bread from a loaf baked in a tin, rather than a round loaf, as they cover the dish more evenly.

Using bread that is too fresh will result in a soggy bottom. Ideally your bread should be stale and a bit hard as it will have extra soakage.

I find it preferable to use a glass or ceramic dish than a metal one. The pudding tends to stick in a metal tin and can brown too much at the sides.

Making sure all of the bread is evenly coated so that the liquid soaks into each piece.

Add a dome of tin foil if you notice that your pudding is browning too soon during baking. Do however take the tin foil off for the last five minutes to crisp up the top.

If you take your pudding out of the oven too soon it will be mushy in the middle as it will not have had time for the eggs in the custard to set so they will still be runny. On the other hand, if you leave it too long in the oven it will dry up. To make sure you get it right, after a half an hour of baking, keep an eye on it. You want the top to be golden brown, the edges will have started to pull from the sides of the pan and any liquid will bubble around the edges.

After you take your pudding from the oven, allow it to sit and rest so that the eggs firm up and it is easier to slice. Cutting too soon may result in it falling apart.

The pudding will last up to four days but needs to be stored in the fridge. It is best to keep it covered so it does not dry out. If you would like to reheat it before serving, cover it in tin foil and place it into a hot oven until completely heated through.

3 delicious variations 

Nutmeg & apple 

In place of the sherry-soaked raisins add two large apples. The apples need to be cored, peeled and cubed into small pieces. 

Toss the apple cubes in a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a teaspoon of ground nutmeg and a tablespoon of maple syrup then continue with the recipe. 

Add a sprinkling of nutmeg to the top of the pudding with the demerara sugar.

Orange peel 

For this version I use 60g of candied orange peel in place of the sherry soaked raisins and instead of the zest of one orange add the zest of three. 

It is best to finely chop the candied peel so it distributes evenly in the pudding.

Banana brioche pudding 

The pudding can be made with leftover brioche. It adds another layer of richness to the dessert. 

I particularly like adding bananas to a brioche bread and butter pudding. A large banana sliced will usually suffice in place of the raisins. 

Panettone also makes a nice variation, it already has dried fruit and candied peel within its dough so you end up with a really flavoursome result.