Classic Challah Bread Pudding Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my bread pudding mushy? ›

Only Cover The Bread Pudding In Oven For Some Of The Time

If you take it out too soon, you'll be left with a mushy and wet middle that hasn't been given the time it needs in the oven to set, but with a super crispy top -- not ideal, to say the least.

This stems from the fact that bread pudding was originally intended to be a way to give new life to bread that was a little stale, soaking it in a flavorful custard and baking it until it was moist and tender. French toast is the same idea, actually.

Advice: Ditch the fork – it's completely superfluous – and dig in with the spoon!

One major problem that you may have come across is bread pudding that is just too wet. A good bread pudding needs to be moist -- it is made from custard, after all -- but it should not be anywhere close to runny.

It is usual for bread pudding to somewhat collapse when it goes from the oven to the room temperature air, but you surely don't want to further contribute to it becoming flat. Therefore, don't dish it out too quickly.

Yorkshire pudding, a baked bread pudding of British origin that is usually served as an accompaniment to roast beef.

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.

William Sitwell suggests that the pudding got the name 'Yorkshire' due to the region's association with coal and the higher temperatures this produced which helped to make the batter crisper.

Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Another way to judge whether the pudding is fully baked, is to gently press down on the center of the pudding. If any custard comes up to the top, the pudding needs to be baked a little longer.

Can bread pudding sit out overnight? Do not let your bread pudding sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours after it has been baked. You should make sure you eat it within 4 days.

How long is bread pudding safe to eat? ›

How to Store Bread Pudding. Allow the bread pudding to cool completely after baking. Cover tightly or transfer to a shallow, airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.

The Christmas pudding coin

Adding silver coins into plum pudding is a fun Christmas tradition. The notion being that whoever finds the coin will have good luck. The tradition may date as far back as early as the 1300s when several small items like dried peas and chicken wishbones were added to the pudding mixture.

Bread pudding makes a great brunch dish, served with fresh fruit compote. Or add a handful of chocolate chips before baking for a decidedly more decadent outcome.

In a formal table setting, both dessert forks and spoons are on the table. Many American desserts are less soupy that those of other cultures and it just seems common sense to eat them with a fork. Of course, ice cream, puddings, flan, etc.

If your pudding is too thin, you may thicken it by adding cornstarch. To properly thicken instant pudding with almond milk, but you don't want to use cornstarch, you need to add a quarter cup more of the powdered pudding mix than in the original recipe.

Too much water can also produce a damp loaf. Try less water with your flour. Uneven heat in your oven can be the culprit – if you loaf is nicely golden on the outside but gummy or moist in the inside, it's baking too quickly on the outside. Trying reducing the temperature you're baking at and bake for a bit longer.

Properly Cooling Bread

Although it may be tempting to cut into that freshly baked bread while it's still warm, it is important that the loaf cool completely. If you do not allow the bread to cool for at least two hours before slicing, it can appear soggy inside, even though it is cooked all the way through.