My grandmother from Ireland shared this recipe with me, and I promise I prepare it throughout the entire year!

This Classic Bread Pudding with Vanilla Custard is a timeless and comforting dessert. Cubes of day-old bread are soaked in a rich and creamy custard infused with vanilla and warm spices, then baked to a golden brown. Served warm with a homemade vanilla custard sauce, it’s a truly delightful treat.

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding:

Ingredient	Quantity
Day-old bread, cubed	6 cups
Whole milk	2 cups
Heavy cream	1 cup
Large eggs	4
Granulated sugar	3/4 cup
Vanilla extract	1 tablespoon
Ground cinnamon	1/2 teaspoon
Ground nutmeg	1/4 teaspoon
Salt	1/4 teaspoon
Raisins (optional)	1/2 cup
Unsalted butter, melted	2 tablespoons

Vanilla Custard Sauce:

Ingredient	Quantity
Heavy cream	1 cup
Milk	1/2 cup
Sugar	1/4 cup
Vanilla extract	1 tablespoon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven and prepare baking dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
2. Whisk custard base: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
3. Add dairy: Add the whole milk and heavy cream to the egg mixture, whisking until smooth.
4. Arrange bread and raisins: Place the cubed day-old bread in the prepared baking dish. If using raisins, sprinkle them evenly over the bread.
5. Pour custard over bread: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread, pressing down gently with a spoon or spatula to ensure all the bread pieces are soaked.
6. Drizzle with butter: Drizzle the melted unsalted butter evenly over the top of the bread pudding.
7. Let it sit: Let the mixture sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the custard.
8. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set (the center should no longer jiggle excessively).
9. Prepare vanilla custard sauce: While the bread pudding is baking, prepare the vanilla custard sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to steam and thicken slightly (do not boil). Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
10. Serve: Serve the bread pudding warm, drizzled generously with the prepared vanilla custard sauce.