Description
Decadent White Chocolate Bread Pudding offers a rich, creamy dessert made simple enough for any new cook. You combine cubed bread with a sweet white chocolate custard and bake until golden.
Ingredients
- 6 cups cubed brioche or challah (day-old, 1-inch cubes)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 8 oz high-quality white chocolate, chopped
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- Butter for greasing the dish
- Optional: 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- Optional: 1/2 cup raspberries or chopped strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9×9-inch or 2-quart baking dish. Spread the cubed bread evenly in the prepared dish.
- Make the white chocolate custard: Warm the heavy cream and whole milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming, but do not let it boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chopped white chocolate and whisk until the chocolate melts completely and the mixture is smooth.
- Whisk the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt together in a separate large bowl until combined. While whisking constantly, slowly pour the warm white chocolate mixture into the egg mixture to temper the eggs and avoid curdling.
- Pour the custard evenly over the bread cubes in the baking dish. Gently press the bread down with a spatula to help it absorb the liquid. Let the pudding stand for 15–20 minutes so the top layer of bread moistens.
- If using, sprinkle the optional white chocolate chips or berries over the top surface.
- Bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes. The pudding is done when it is puffed, golden around the edges, and the center shows only a slight jiggle when gently shaken. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent the dish with foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.
- Remove the pudding from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving warm with your choice of topping, like vanilla ice cream or a simple white chocolate sauce.
Notes
- For the best results, use day-old brioche or challah bread.
- You can assemble this pudding up to 12 hours ahead. Cover it and refrigerate. Add an extra 5–10 minutes to the baking time when cooking directly from the refrigerator.
- For a more custardy center, remove the pudding from the oven when the center still wobbles softly. For a firmer texture, bake until a knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
- Try adding 2 tablespoons of raspberry jam swirled on top before baking, or include orange zest and dried cranberries for a flavor variation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American