Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

This recipe for Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding evokes warmth and nostalgia with its simple yet satisfying flavors and textures. Cubed bread and plump raisins are soaked in a rich milk custard infused with vanilla and nutmeg, then baked until golden. Served warm with a luscious homemade vanilla sauce, it’s a comforting dessert that feels like a hug in a bowl.

Ingredients:

For the Bread Pudding:

Ingredient	Quantity
White bread	4 cups (8 slices)
Raisins	1/2 cup
Milk	2 cups
Butter	1/4 cup
Sugar	1/2 cup
Eggs	2
Vanilla	1 tablespoon
Ground nutmeg	1/2 teaspoon

For the Vanilla Sauce:

Ingredient	Quantity
Butter	1/2 cup
Sugar	1/2 cup
Brown sugar	1/2 cup
Heavy whipping cream	1/2 cup
Vanilla	1 tablespoon

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Bread: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine the cubed white bread and raisins in a large bowl.
2. Heat Milk Mixture: Combine the milk and ¼ cup of butter in a 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the butter is completely melted (about 4 to 7 minutes).
3. Soak Bread: Pour the warm milk mixture over the bread and raisin mixture in the bowl. Let it stand for 10 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the liquid.
4. Add Remaining Pudding Ingredients: After the bread has soaked, stir in the remaining bread pudding ingredients: ½ cup of sugar, slightly beaten eggs, 1 tablespoon of vanilla, and ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Mix gently until everything is well combined.
5. Bake the Pudding: Pour the bread pudding mixture into a greased 1 ½-quart casserole dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the pudding is set in the center. A knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean.
6. Make the Vanilla Sauce: While the bread pudding is baking, prepare the vanilla sauce. Combine the ½ cup of butter, ½ cup of granulated sugar, and ½ cup of firmly packed brown sugar in a 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil (about 5 to 8 minutes).
7. Stir in Vanilla for Sauce: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.
8. Serve: To serve, spoon the warm bread pudding into individual dessert dishes and drizzle generously with the warm vanilla sauce.
9. Store: Store any leftover bread pudding and vanilla sauce separately in the refrigerator. Reheat gently before serving. Enjoy this comforting classic!