Brioche Bread Pudding Recipe
Brioche Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce is warm and custardy with golden, slightly crisp edges thanks to a cinnamon-sugar-sprinkled crust. Cubes of buttery brioche are soaked in a simple cinnamon and vanilla custard, baked until beautifully golden, then topped with a rich homemade vanilla sauce. It’s a classy comfort-food dessert.
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Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- 2-quart baking dish
- whisk
Ingredients
- 10 ounces brioche bread cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 slices)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 quart half-and-half divided (3 cups + 1 cup)
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided (½ cup + ¼ cup + ¼ cup)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon divided (1 tsp. + 1 tsp.)
- 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract* divided (2 tsp. + 2 tsp.)
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or freshly grated*
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- *Pre-Preparation Notes: This recipe calls for several ingredients that are used multiple times, separately. Follow directions and measurements carefully. The ingredients list contains Total Amounts of each ingredient needed.
For the Bread Base:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 2-Quart, 9x9-inch or 11x7-inch baking dish with a little bit of butter.
- Spread the bread cubes evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Whisk in 3 cups of the Half & Half, ½ cup of sugar, 1 tsp. of the cinnamon, 2 tsp. of the vanilla extract, nutmeg, and 2 Tbs. of the melted butter until well combined.
- Pour egg mixture evenly over the bread. Lightly press bread cubes down with a spoon to evenly moisten.
- Let the bread soak for 10 minutes, making sure liquid is absorbed.
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Sprinkle:
- In a small bowl, stir together the ¼ cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the bread pudding.
- Bake uncovered for 40–50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set but still slightly soft. Start checking at 40 minutes. A knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean without liquid custard. Let rest for 10 minutes after baking.
For the Warm Vanilla Sauce Topping:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the remaining 1 cup Half & Half, ¼ cup sugar and cornstarch.
- After mixture is whisked well, turn on the heat.
- Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches a gentle simmer and begins to thicken. Continue cooking and whisking for 3-5 minutes until it thickens.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tsp. vanilla until smooth. (or vanilla bean/or paste). The sauce thickens as it cools.
- Serve the bread pudding warm with vanilla sauce generously spooned or drizzled over the top.
*Vanilla bean paste or a scraped vanilla bean pod elevates this recipe.