Baked Raisin Bread Pudding
Cubes of bread soak up a sweet custard with nutmeg and raisins, then bake until the top is golden and the middle is set and tender. A warm, comforting dessert straight from the oven.
- Total
- 73 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 48 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Tempering eggs · Toasting spices
- Sweet
- Oven
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 180°C.
~10 min
-
Cut the bread into 3 cm cubes and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, until the edges feel dry and lightly crisp.
~8 min
Toasting dries the bread's surface so it can absorb more custard without disintegrating into mush.
Stale or day-old bread works best here because it drinks up more custard without turning to mush.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the bread toasts, melt the butter in a small bowl set in the warm oven for 2 minutes, until just liquid.
~2 min
-
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, nutmeg and salt until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the melted butter and the raisins.
~5 min
Whisking dissolves the sugar and disperses the eggs evenly, ensuring a smooth, lump-free custard.
Tempering eggs Whisk eggs with sugar before adding hot liquid, and add any warm butter slowly while whisking, to avoid scrambling the eggs.
Toasting spices Briefly warming nutmeg in the custard or a dry pan releases its oils, boosting aroma; avoid burning it, which turns bitter.
-
Add the toasted bread cubes to the custard and press them down with a spoon so they soak. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the bread is softened but still holds its shape.
~10 min
Soaking lets the bread absorb custard fully, while the brief rest keeps cubes intact rather than mushy.
-
Pour the soaked bread and custard into a 23x33 cm baking dish and spread it level. Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard is set at the edges and the top is golden; a knife inserted in the centre should come out nearly clean.
~30 min
Baking sets the egg proteins and caramelizes the top, while a clean knife confirms the custard is fully cooked.
If the centre still looks wet after 30 minutes, cover the dish loosely with foil and bake 5 more minutes; the custard should wobble slightly but not slosh.
-
Let the pudding rest for 10 minutes before serving, so the custard finishes setting and the slices hold together.
~10 min
Resting allows the custard to finish setting, so the pudding slices cleanly instead of running.