Name: Simple Bread Pudding With Melted Ice Cream
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes, plus cooling time
Yield: 9 servings
Ingredients: 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided; 3 large eggs; Zest of 1 orange; 2¼ cups whole milk; ½ cup (100 g) sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon; A pinch of ground nutmeg; 6 cups 1" cubed stale brioche (about 11 oz./315 g); 1 pint ice cream of your choice, melted (for serving; optional)

Brioche bread pudding being served with vanilla ice cream sauce.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

Bread pudding is a delicious and satisfying way to use up stale bread, but it’s also an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that’s worth making for a special occasion. I keep things simple here with brioche and a custard that’s gently spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Challah would also be a great option. The best bread for bread pudding is soft and tender—avoid using hearty sourdough or dense rye breads.

This bread pudding recipe gets its rich, nutty flavor from brown butter. You’ll use a tablespoon of butter to grease your baking dish; the remaining butter then gets cooked until browned and fragrant. The brown butter is incorporated into the custard once it has cooled. A touch of orange zest adds brightness, while vanilla lends sweet, comforting notes that bring out the warmth of the spices.

For a luscious sauce that requires barely any effort, I take a page out of Ina Garten’s book and melt a pint of ice cream to serve with the bread pudding (a.k.a. one-step crème anglaise). Keep it classic with vanilla ice cream, or try it with butter pecan, rum raisin, or your favorite ice cream flavor.

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes, plus cooling time
Yield
9 servings

Ingredients

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

3 large eggs

Zest of 1 orange

2¼ cups whole milk

½ cup (100 g) sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

A pinch of ground nutmeg

6 cups 1" cubed stale brioche (about 11 oz./315 g)

1 pint ice cream of your choice, melted (for serving; optional)

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350º. Grease an 8x8" baking pan with 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter.
Step 2
Heat remaining 7 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown and smell nutty, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool until just warm to the touch, 8–10 minutes.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs, zest of 1 orange, 2¼ cups whole milk, ½ cup (100 g) sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon, and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Whisk in brown butter until incorporated.
Step 4
Add 6 cups 1" cubed stale brioche (about 11 oz./315 g) to prepared baking pan. Pour egg mixture over bread. Place baking pan on a baking sheet and bake until top is golden brown, 45–50 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Step 5
Serve warm with a drizzle of 1 pint ice cream of your choice, melted, if using.