Simple Bread and Butter Pudding Recipe

I remember almost every great holiday moment as a child.  Colorful leaves in the fall, patches of snow in he winter, gifts, sharing, spending time with loved ones and most of all, the food.

My great-grandma, bless her soul, used to cook amazing meals for the entire family.  Pot Roasts, Turkey Roasts, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Souffle’, stuffings…  The food was just down right comforting.

My most memorable moment was something special that she made with love.  I used to smell as it was baking.  When the oven door opened, the air was filled with the smell of fresh spices and sweet savour…

What was that special dish, as you might be wondering?

It was her sweet and delicious Bread and Butter Pudding.

Oh man!  Words just cant describe how her pudding tasted.  It had a moist and soft interior and a crispy exterior.  It was the perfect sweet combination.

Has any of you ever tried to duplicate your Great-Grandma, Grandma, or Mother’s recipes?  They never come out the same, right?  

I’ve been a professional chef for over 24 years and I still cant get my Great-Grandma’s recipes to taste the same or better.

However, there is still light at the end of the tunnel.. The recipe I’m about to share with you is awesome…. Not Great-Grandma awesome, but awesome.

This recipe has a few differences; one of them being a struessel topping.  I love struessel toppings.  It is easy to make, it looks great on the top of desserts, and if made correctly, it will add a delicous crunchy bite to your product.

But enough babbling, check out this recipe.  I know youre going to enjoy making this.

Brandy Bread and Butter Pudding       

85g unsalted butter, melted                                      

680g Brioche Bread Loaves                                       

170g unsalted butter, at room temperature          

140g granulated sugar                                                

8ea eggs, at room temperature                                

300ml (1 ¼ cups) warm milk                                     

80ml (1/3 cup) brandy                                                

5ml (1tsp) vanilla extract                                           

½ tsp ground cinnamon                                              

170g golden raisins                                                      

480ml (2 cups) heavy cream                                     

225grt streusel topping                                              

Brandied Cinnamon Whipped Cream

• Butter pans
• Cut bread into ½ inch pieces and place on a sheet pan
• Coat the bread with the melted butter
• Bake in oven at 400F for 1 min or until golden brown
• Beat the softened butter and sugar together
• Beat in the eggs
• Add the warm milk, brandy, vanilla, and cinnamon
• Place a level single layer of the toasted bread in the buttered baking pan
• The sides of the bread should touch so that the pan is completely covered
• Spinkle the raisins evenly on the top of the bread
• Pour half of the custard slowly and evenly over the bread
• Cover with the second layer of bread and press down with your hands to make the top level
• Pour the remaining custard over the second layer and press down again
• Pour 240ml (1cup) cream evenly over the pudding. Cover with baking paper and place another pan, just slightly smaller, over the paper; then weigh down the top with cans
• Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours or preferably, refrigerate overnight
• Remove the weights, pan, and baking paper
• Pour the remaining 240ml (1cup) cream evenly over the pudding
• Sprinkle the streusel over the top
• Baked, covered, 350F for 30 minutes
• Uncover and bake approximately 30 min longer or until the pudding is set and the top is golden brown
• Let cool to room temperature
• Cut to 12 servings

Streusel Topping

85g     light brown sugar

85g     granulated sugar

155g     unsalted butter

3g         ground cinnamon

5g       salt

1/2tsp  vanilla extract

255g   bread flour

-Mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt and vanilla

-Stir in the bread flour; The mixture should be crumbly and should not come together like dough; you may need extra flour

-Store, covered, in the refrigerator to prevent the topping from drying out

Hazelnut Streusel

Add 143g chopped or coarsely crushed untoasted hazelnuts when you add the flour