Bread pudding

Pudding made with stale bread "Wet Nelly" redirects here. For the James Bond submarine, see Wet Nellie. For the British bread dessert made with egg custard and raisins, see Bread and butter pudding. This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources. Find sources: "Bread pudding" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Bread puddingTypePuddingRegion or stateEnglandMain ingredientsUsually stale bread; combination of milk, eggs, suet, sugar or syrup, dried fruit, and spicesVariationsNelson cake, Wet Nelly Cookbook: Bread pudding  Media: Bread pudding Austin Leslie's Creole bread pudding with vanilla whiskey sauce, from the late Pampy's Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana Bread pudding is a British dessert made with stale bread and milk, cream or water. It generally also contains eggs, a form of fat such as oil, butter or suet and, depending on whether the pudding is sweet or savory, a variety of other ingredients. Sweet bread puddings may use sugar, syrup, honey, dried fruit, and nuts, as well as spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, and vanilla. The bread is soaked in the liquids, mixed with the other ingredients, and baked. Savory puddings like breakfast strata may be served as main courses, while sweet puddings are typically eaten as desserts. The dessert is also known as poor man's pudding or just pudding. In other languages, its name is a translation of bread pudding or pudding, including pudín and budín. In the Philippines, bread pudding made with Pandesal is popular. In Mexico, there is a similar dish eaten during Lent called capirotada. In Liverpool in the United Kingdom, a moist version of Nelson Squares, itself a bread pudding with shortcrust pastry, is nicknamed "Wet Nelly".

[edit] Bread pudding originated with 11th-century English cooks who repurposed leftover stale bread. In the following centuries, the dish became known as "poor man's pudding" because of the scarcity of food at the time, with the pudding being made only with boiling water, sugar, and spices.[better source needed] It was only in the 13th century that eggs and milk were added to the recipe, which then became known as Bread and butter pudding.

American bread pudding The 18th-century English cookbook The Compleat Housewife contains two recipes for baked bread pudding. The first is identified as "A Bread and Butter Pudding for Fasting Days".

With the arrival of the first settlers in the 13 English Colonies in America, bread pudding became popular in the colonies and later in the United States. Bread pudding served at a restaurant in Harmony, Minnesota

[edit] This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Asia[edit] In Hong Kong, bread pudding is usually served with vanilla cream dressing.[better source needed] In Malaysia, bread pudding is eaten with custard sauce.[citation needed] In the Philippines, stale unsold bread is commonly used by bakeries to make the characteristically bright-red filling of pan de regla. In Southeast Asian regions like Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, bread pudding is sometimes found in local dessert shops. To cater to local preferences, it may incorporate ingredients such as coconut milk, pandan leaves, palm sugar, and tropical fruits. In Turkey, bread pudding is known as ekmek kadayıfı and served with a slice of kaymak or ice cream on top of the cake which is garnished with ground pistachio or shredded coconut. In the Levant, Aish as-Saraya is a popular bread pudding, flavored with rose water. In Myanmar, bread pudding known as "Pu Tin" in Burmese has been a popular dessert since colonial times. It is also added to a desert known as Falooda. In Bangladesh, a variation of bread pudding called Shahi Tukra, has existed in the region since Mughal times. Shahi Tukra (also spelled Tukda) is known in Hyderabad as Double Ka Meetha.

Americas[edit] In Canada, bread pudding is sometimes made with maple syrup. In Quebec, it is made with blueberries and a maple syrup based sauce. In Puerto Rico, there are many variations of bread pudding on the island. Cream cheese with lime zest and guava or coconut-sweet plantain with rum raisins is perhaps the most popular. Bread pudding is always made with a variety of spices. Puerto Rican bread pudding is cooked the same as crème caramel with caramel poured into a baking dish and then the pudding mix is poured on top. The baking dish is placed in a bain-marie and then in the oven. In Argentina, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay, bread pudding is known as "budín de pan".

Brazilian bread pudding (Pudim de Pão) In Brazil, bread pudding is known as "pudim de pão". The dish consists of bread, eggs, milk, condensed milk, butter, vanilla extract, and a pinch of cinnamon (optional). However, all the ingredients are mixed together in a blender and poured into a bundt-like mold (with a hole in the middle) lined with caramelized sugar syrup, which is then baked in a water bath for about 1 hour and a half. Afterwards, it is left to cool before unmolding and serving. When ready, its appearance can be compared to a creamy yet dense flan. In Panama, bread pudding is known as "mamallena". In Aruba, bread pudding is known as "pan bolo".[citation needed] In Cuba, bread pudding is known as "pudín de pan" and many serve it with a guava marmalade. In Chile, bread pudding is known as "colegial" or "budín de pan". In Mexico it is simply known as "budín" and is usually made with bolillo leftovers. It's typically made with raisins and pecans. In the United States, especially Louisiana, bread puddings are typically sweet and served as dessert with a sweet sauce of some sort, such as whiskey sauce, rum sauce, or caramel sauce.

Bread pudding’s roots lie in thrift – turning yesterday’s loaves into a comforting dessert. That frugality fits perfectly with the festive spirit of making the most of what you have. During the holidays, families often have plenty of stale bread after elaborate meals, and a warm, spiced pudding turns it into a star dish that can serve a crowd. The gentle custard base absorbs the flavours of cinnamon, nutmeg and dried fruit, echoing the aromatic notes of mince pies and Christmas pudding, while the golden crust adds a comforting crunch. Its versatility also means you can dress it up with brandy‑flambé, winter berries or a drizzle of cream, making it a flexible centrepiece for any winter feast.

For a pudding that shines, start with a sturdy loaf – a dense white or slightly sourdough works best as it soaks up milk without falling apart. Avoid ultra‑soft sandwich bread; it will turn mushy. Aim for a day‑old loaf: the crust should still be firm, the crumb a little dry. When it comes to dried fruit, look for unsulphured raisins or sultanas; they add natural sweetness without an artificial aftertaste. A splash of orange zest or a pinch of mixed spice elevates the flavour profile. Finally, pick a quality butter or a spoonful of suet for richness – if you prefer a lighter version, a drizzle of good-quality cream will give the same silkiness without the heaviness.