The irony with this vanilla and maple bread pudding recipe is that rarely do we ever have stale bread laying around, as is tradition for such a dish. Created to unify all the weird bits of bread you've got roaming around your kitchen, it should be the most basic dish to bring together. Except for when you're an avid bread eater, as I am. Because I find myself wanting bread pudding.
But I already ate all the bread.
Basically what this means is that sometimes I make bread just to make bread pudding.
As is noted extensively in this blog, I lack self control. I see bread. I eat it.
But bread pudding is worth saving (or making) bread for. Because magically, with just a few ingredients, stale bread transforms into a sweet and just slightly savory dish that (frankly) feeds my soul as much as it feeds my body.
In February, this is necessary.
There are wee glimmers of the spring that will come – the sun stays to linger just a bit longer before dropping below the orchard line on the west side of the farm. The chickens greet us with just a few more eggs each morning. The cow's udder is filling out, just a wee bit, to point us to the cream that will arrive this April after calving. All little flashes of the life that awaits us!
Bread pudding gives me hope for the fulfillment of those promises.
I don't even care if it sounds dramatic.
I'm determined to cook my way to spring. The better we eat, the less I'll think about the three feet of snow that is currently engulfing my garden bed.
Food makes it all better.
So shall we?
Vanilla and Maple Bread Pudding
You will need:
– 6 slices of stale, crusty bread (I use my sourdough einkorn loaf for such… the recipe is listed below the video description)
– 1/3 cup melted butter
– 2 cups of whole milk (or cream. no judgement.)
– 4 eggs
– 2 teaspoons cinnamon
– Large pinch sea salt
– 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or beans from one vanilla pod)
– 1/2 cup maple syrup (or rapadura)
– 3/4 cup golden raisins (or dried fruit of choice)
– 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Slice the bread into 1/2″ cubes. You should end up with about 6 cups.
Butter a 12″ cast iron skillet (or baking dish of choice). Place the bread cubes into the skillet.
In a bowl, combine the butter, milk, eggs, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Whisk to combine.
Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and use a fork to gently move the bread cubes around, allowing the sweet liquid to leak into all the cracks and crevices. It's pure magic, I tell you.
Sprinkle the golden raisins and sliced almonds over the top. BOOM. Are you excited? I'm excited.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the bread pudding is just set. You don't want it “set” set. But you don't want it too jiggly, or you'll have bread soup. Just a gentle jiggle in the middle is all you need.
Like my belly after four children.
The bread pudding can be enjoyed warm or cold, but I prefer it warm. A wee dusting of powdered sugar and a few extra raisins make it all the merrier.
Also, strong espresso. This ain't child's play. This is winter survival, man.
And Amen.
Vanilla and Maple Bread Pudding
- 6 slices of stale (crusty bread)
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 2 cups of whole milk (or cream. no judgement.)
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Large pinch sea salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or beans from one vanilla pod)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (or rapadura)
- 3/4 cup golden raisins (or dried fruit of choice)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Slice the bread into 1/2″ cubes. You should end up with about 6 cups.
- Butter a 12″ cast iron skill (or baking dish of choice). Place the bread cubes into the skillet.
- In a bowl, combine the butter, milk, eggs, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and use a fork to gently move the bread cubes around, allowing the sweet liquid to leak into all the cracks and crevices.
- Sprinkle the golden raisins and sliced almonds over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the bread pudding is just set. You don’t want it “set” set. But you don’t want it too jiggly, or you’ll have bread soup. Just a gentle jiggle in the middle is all you need.
Oh my, this looks amazing! I have a similar relationship with bread – if I see it I eat it. It’s just too delicious to pass up.
this. looks. so. good. “winter survival” is a REAL thing. thankfully, God has given us Okies lots of 60, 70, & 80 degree weather this winter (crazy), so it’s been a lot more bearable.
This sounded so good and so needed by us up here in Maine that I made it tonight! Was great! 🙂
I have to say that I’ve never been too enamored with bread pudding. I’ve only tried it a few times in my life and it was okay. But, this recipe looks so unbelievably delicious. I can just imagine the smell of it roasting in the oven. I wish I had some right now! I’m not buried under 3 feet of snow. But, after a week of warm weather we did get a couple of snow storms. It’s like a spring dance over here, is it or isn’t it. I have to say I’m already dreaming of the days of spring.
“Like my belly after four children.” I love that description. As a Mama of four, I can relate and now I have a great visual when I make my bread pudding. Although your tiny belly looks anything but jiggly. Thanks for sharing! We love your cookbooks!
Perfect timing! I was just looking for the right recipe to make bread pudding. The bread is ready. This recipe makes all the others I’ve looked at look boring! Thank you.
In the Deep South, south Louisiana to be exact, we’ve had record-breaking cold temps & even 7” of snow a couple weeks before Christmas! I had some leftover stale sourdough einkorn bread and turned it into this wonderful bread pudding. It’s my favorite bread pudding ever! I wish there was some left but our family of 10 wiped it out. Even my non-bread pudding eaters enjoyed it. Thank you.
Great recipe…I used 3/4 cup of maple syrup by mistake and a little less vanilla and it was wonderful.
I only have a local GF sourdough bread that is store bought.Is this fine?Also I cannot have much dairy.Alternatives?Blessings.
I just had a yearning for bread pudding yesterday. But like yourself, no stale bread at our house. I make my sourdough bread and my husband and I don’t have to look very far to find excuses to eat it; we make cheese toast to go with our bkfast, open face sandwiches for lunch, toast it with butter and garlic to go with a pasta dish for dinner. Any excuse to eat that wonderful bread will do! Thank you for your recipe, I suppose I need to sacrifice a few slices to make this wonderful recipe for dessert. Yum!!
I absolutely loved this recipe! I added 1 tsp of almond extract along with 2 tsp of vanilla and sprinkled some pecans on top. Perfect! Never liked a bread pudding as much as this one. Definitely recommend! 🙂
Could this be prepped the night before and then baked in the morning?
Amazingly yummy with dried plums, apricots and cranberries! Thank you 🙂
Loved it! I did use real maple syrup in it and it wasn’t sweet enough for this guy. I had to add a few tablespoons of brown sugar the next time. 😁
I made this yesterday and it was amazing! I left out the raisins and added caramelized bananas (after baking) which took it over the top! I did realize I had too much bread though, and the top dried out a bit. I would recommend starting with about half the bread then add more after pouring the mixture in to make sure the bread is completely covered.