A delightful dessert that transforms simple ingredients into a rich, creamy dish with the aromatic flavors of cinnamon and the chewy sweetness of raisins.
Ingredients
Scale:
6 cups of stale bread, cubed (French or challah work well)
1 cup raisins
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups whole milk (or half-and-half for a richer pudding)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter to ensure easy removal and cleanup.
In a large bowl, combine the cubed stale bread and raisins. Toss gently to mix, ensuring the raisins are evenly distributed.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until fully combined.
Pour the custard mixture over the bread and raisins. Gently stir to ensure all bread pieces are soaked. Allow the mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes so that the bread absorbs the custard.
Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly. Make sure any raisins that surface are gently pushed back into the mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. The custard should be set, but still slightly jiggly.
Let the bread pudding cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm, topped with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
