D's favorite Bread Pudding

Are you craving a big cinnamon, vanilla, gooey, warm, mouthwatering bowl of comfort?  Then you will love this.  Ooooooh, it is sooo good.  D is a bread pudding freak.  The kid would eat it exclusively if I let him.  So, after many different recipes and attempts, this is my favorite recipe for Bread Pudding. 

I know some of you are thinking, "Ewwwww, soggy bread?"  I thought so too until I tried it.  YUMMM!   Honestly, I don't know why I haven't shared it with all of you yet.   It is NOT low-cal, but better than many others that call for 2 sticks of butter and heavy cream.  It is super easy, and I usually have all the ingredients on hand.  

(Don't get too jealous of my 1970's formica countertop.  I know you want it too.) 

D's Favorite Bread Pudding

1 loaf stale bread (about 8 cups.  I usually use french bread, but in the picture above I used leftover homemade bread...can you believe it, LEFTOVER!)

4 cups milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1/4 cup (or 4 Tbs./1/2 a stick) butter melted

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

I usually tear the bread up into bite size pieces if I am using a chewer french bread, but for a homemade style bread I cut it into bite sized cubes.  I then dump the big pile of bread into my large bowl and let them dry out just a bit.  NOT until it is hard, just a little dry to the touch.  Drying it out is not a necessary step, but I think it helps the bread soak up more of the milk/egg mixture.

Next, mix all the remaining ingredients.  I just use my 8 cup mixing bowl.  No need to use extra dishes :)

Pour the mils/egg mixture over the bread and gently mix making sure each piece of bread is coated.  Let it sit about 3 min. 

While the bread is soaking, butter a 9x13" baking dish.  Are you wondering when you turn on the oven?  Almost.....  Pour the soggy bread into the baking dish and put it in a COLD OVEN.  That's right, DON'T preheat the oven.  After you get the pudding in the oven, turn it to 350 and bake it for 1 hour.  

There are very few things that smell better than bread pudding baking.  Warm vanilla, cinnamon, bread....Mmmmmm.  (Good thing I have a bowl right now or I might get a craving)

Now, you can stop there and eat it as is.... but why not guild the lily.  

Caramel Sauce:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 brown sugar

2 Tbs. flour

1 cup heavy cream

Bring to a boil and add

1/4 cup butter (the other half of the stick you used for the bread pudding)

2 tsp. vanilla

Serve warm over bread pudding.

Oh, it takes good to over the top.  

How about 1 more picture?

Now wipe the drool off the keyboard and go make some!