Of course! Here’s a rich, detailed, “big” recipe for your 🍞 Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce 🍮 — complete with a warm introduction, history, benefits, detailed instructions, formation, lovers, nutrition, and a heartwarming conclusion.
📜 Introduction
Nothing evokes cozy memories like a warm dish of old-fashioned bread pudding, draped in silky vanilla sauce. This is a dessert born from humble beginnings, transforming leftover bread into a comforting masterpiece. Soft, custardy inside with golden, slightly crisp edges, each bite is a taste of nostalgia. Perfect for family gatherings, Sunday dinners, or simply to bring a smile on a rainy afternoon.
🥖 Ingredients
For the Bread Pudding:
- 3½ cups white bread, cubed (about 5–6 slices), slightly stale preferred
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup raisins or golden raisins (optional)
For the Warm Vanilla Sauce:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
🥣 Instructions & Methods
🔹 Bread Pudding:
- Prepare the bread:
Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour whole milk and evaporated milk over the bread. Let sit for 10 minutes to soak. - Mix custard:
In another bowl, whisk eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. - Combine:
Pour egg mixture over soaked bread. Add raisins if using. Gently fold until combined and bread is evenly coated. - Bake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease an 8×8-inch (or similar) baking dish with butter.
- Pour in bread mixture. Let sit 5 minutes to settle.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until golden brown and a knife comes out mostly clean.
🔹 Vanilla Sauce:
- In a small saucepan, whisk sugar, flour, and salt.
- Gradually stir in milk until smooth.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens — about 5–7 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.
- Pour warm over bread pudding or serve alongside.
🏺 History
Bread pudding traces back to 13th-century England, known as “poor man’s pudding.” Bakers and households used leftover stale bread to avoid waste, combining it with milk, eggs, and spices. Over centuries, it spread globally, each culture adapting it — from France’s pain perdu to southern U.S. bourbon-soaked versions.
🌱 Benefits
✅ Reduces food waste: Uses leftover bread.
✅ Budget-friendly: Simple, inexpensive pantry staples.
✅ Nutritious: Provides protein, calcium, and iron from eggs & milk.
✅ Customizable: Add nuts, chocolate, berries, or spices.
🛠 Formation & Serving
- Let the baked pudding rest for 15 minutes before cutting so it sets nicely.
- Drizzle warm vanilla sauce generously over slices.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon, powdered sugar, or fresh berries.
👫 Lovers of This Dish
Bread pudding is adored by: ❤️ Grandmas & Grandpas, who remember it from their childhood tables.
❤️ Sweet tooths, who crave soft, custardy desserts.
❤️ Foodies, who appreciate reviving traditional recipes.
❤️ Couples, sharing it warm with two spoons on a cozy evening.
🍽 Nutrition (approx. per serving)
- Calories: ~280 kcal
- Carbs: 38g
- Fat: 10g
- Protein: 7g
- Calcium & Iron: good source
(varies by bread type & portion size)
💌 Conclusion
This old-fashioned bread pudding with vanilla sauce is more than a dessert — it’s a celebration of family, warmth, and cherished memories. It proves that sometimes, the simplest, most resourceful recipes become the most beloved. Whether served at a holiday feast or on a quiet Sunday, it’s bound to be met with smiles.
💖 Lovers’ Toast
So here’s to you, your loved ones, and the generations who kept this recipe alive. May your hearts (and plates) always be full!
🎉 If you’d like, I can also give you variations (like adding bourbon or chocolate chips), or a step-by-step photo guide. Just tell me! 🥰