Classic Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry the bread

   Heat the oven to 325°F. Spread the bread cubes over a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, tossing once halfway, until the cubes feel dry and light but have barely taken on color. You are driving out moisture, not toasting them. Let them cool while you make the custard. Dry bread acts like a sponge; fresh bread turns to paste.

2. 2

   Butter the dish

   Rub the softened butter generously over the bottom and all the way up the sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Raise the oven to 350°F.

3. 3

   Whisk the custard

   In a large bowl, whisk the whole eggs, yolks, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and a shade paler, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until completely uniform with no streaks of unmixed egg.

4. 4

   Soak the bread

   Add the cooled bread cubes and the raisins, if using, to the custard. Fold gently with a flexible spatula until every piece is coated, then press down on the surface with the back of the spatula so the top layer submerges. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, pressing down again two or three times along the way. The cubes should feel heavy and saturated but still hold their shape.

5. 5

   Pan it and butter the top

   Scrape everything into the buttered dish and nudge it into an even layer, leaving the surface a little craggy so the peaks can crisp. Pour any custard left in the bowl over the top, then drizzle the 3 tablespoons melted butter evenly across the surface. Scatter on the turbinado sugar if you want a crunchy lid.

6. 6

   Bake

   Bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes. It is done when the top is deep golden, the edges have pulled slightly from the sides of the dish, and the center puffs and jiggles as one soft mass rather than sloshing. A knife slid into the middle should come out with thick custard clinging to it but no liquid. If the top browns before the center sets, tent loosely with foil.

7. 7

   Make the vanilla sauce

   While the pudding bakes, whisk the cornstarch into the milk in a small bowl until smooth. Combine the cream, sugar, butter, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Pour in the cornstarch slurry and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce bubbles gently and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Pull it off the heat and stir in the vanilla.

8. 8

   Rest and serve

   Let the pudding settle for at least 15 minutes out of the oven. The custard firms up considerably as it cools, and cutting too early gives you a loose, weepy spoonful. Serve warm in shallow bowls with the vanilla sauce poured over.

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Baker's Tips

• 1.

  Day-old bread is a shortcut, not a requirement. The 325°F drying step gets fresh bread to the same place in 20 minutes and gives you more control.

• 2.

  Dense country loaves and sourdough work, but they drink slowly. Give them a 45-minute soak instead of 30, and expect a chewier, less silky result than challah gives you.

• 3.

  Tear rather than cut some of the bread. Ragged edges catch butter and crisp into the best bits on top.

• 4.

  Assemble the whole thing the night before, cover, and refrigerate. Pull it out 30 minutes before baking and add about 10 minutes to the bake time.

• 5.

  The custard is set at around 170°F in the center if you want to check with an instant-read thermometer. Push past 185°F and the eggs tighten and squeeze out liquid.

• 6.

  Swap a tablespoon of the vanilla in the sauce for bourbon or dark rum, stirred in off the heat, for a grown-up version.

• 7.

  If the sauce thickens too much as it cools, whisk in a splash of warm milk over low heat to loosen it back up.

Equipment

• 9x13-inch baking dish
• Large rimmed baking sheet
• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Flexible spatula
• Small saucepan
• Dry and liquid measuring cups, or a kitchen scale

Storage