Bread and Butter Pudding with Vanilla and Sultanas
Comforting British pudding that turns stale bread into a silky vanilla custard studded with sultanas.
Bread and butter pudding is the ultimate rescue mission for stale white bread — humble, unfussy and gloriously comforting. This version leans on real vanilla and a splash of double cream so the custard finishes silky rather than rubbery.
Make it on a blustery afternoon, bake while you make a cuppa and eat warm with extra cream or a cold custard. It’s brilliant for feeding a small crowd and even better the day after reheated in the oven.
Ingredients
- 8 stale white bread — thick slices, crusts trimmed if you prefer
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 80 g caster sugar — you'll split this between the custard and eggs
- 3 large eggs
- 350 ml whole milk
- 150 ml double cream
- 1 vanilla pod — split and seeds scraped
- 75 g sultanas
- 5 ml lemon zest — finely grated
- 0 ml ground nutmeg
- 10 g icing sugar — for dusting, optional
- fine sea salt — a pinch
Equipment
- 20 x 25 cm shallow baking dish
- saucepan
- whisk
- small sharp knife for vanilla pod
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Generously butter a 20 x 25 cm shallow baking dish with half the unsalted butter.
Trim the crusts from the stale white bread if you like, then spread each slice with the remaining butter. Cut each slice in half diagonally to make triangles.
Layer the buttered triangles in the prepared dish, overlapping slightly. Scatter the sultanas between the layers and sprinkle over the lemon zest so it distributes evenly.
Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Put the whole milk, double cream, vanilla pod and seeds, and half the caster sugar into a saucepan. Gently heat until steaming and just below simmering so the flavours infuse—about 5 minutes—then remove from the heat and leave to cool for 2–3 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the large eggs with the remaining caster sugar, the pinch of fine sea salt and the ground nutmeg until combined and slightly frothy.
Temper the eggs: very slowly pour about a third of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly, then gradually add the rest. This brings the eggs up to temperature without scrambling them. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk mixture if you haven't already.
Pour the custard evenly over the layered bread so all pieces are wet. Press the bread gently down with the back of a spoon so it soaks up the liquid. Leave any excess custard in the dish to absorb into the lowest layers.
Leave the assembled pudding to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the custard to fully soak into the bread.
Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 35–45 minutes until puffed and golden on top and just set in the centre. A slight wobble is fine — the pudding will continue to set as it cools.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This rest lets the custard settle to a spoonable texture.
Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve warm, with double cream or custard if you like.
Tips
- If your bread is very stale (rock-hard), tear it into rough pieces rather than slicing so it soaks more easily.
- Tempering the eggs is the crucial technique — pour the hot milk in slowly and whisk continuously to avoid curdled custard.
- For extra pockets of sweetness, soak the sultanas in a tablespoon of rum or orange juice for 10 minutes before layering.
- You can assemble the pudding the day before, keep covered in the fridge, then allow to come to room temperature 30 minutes before baking.
- Reheat leftovers in a low oven (150°C fan/170°C conventional) for 10–15 minutes to restore the crisp top without drying the centre.
Substitutions
stale white bread → day-old brioche or challah, same quantity
Stays closedouble cream → extra whole milk (increase to 500 ml total), same method
Noticeably differentsultanas → mixed dried fruit or raisins, same quantity
Stays closeunsalted butter → salted butter, reduce added salt to taste
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 535
- Calories
- 12 g
- Protein
- 61 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 33 g
- Sugar
- 200 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use wholemeal or granary bread?
Yes — the flavour will be nuttier and the texture more substantial. You may need a little more custard (extra 50–75 ml) as wholemeal soaks differently.
Can I freeze the pudding?
Yes, freeze once fully cooled in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in the oven.
Why did my custard curdle?
That happens if the hot milk was added to the eggs too quickly or the mixture was overheated. Always temper slowly and bake until just set to avoid overcooking.
How long can I assemble it ahead?
You can assemble and cover in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking so the oven time is even.
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