This dish is best made with day old bread that has dried out. This is because fresh bread is very moist and will not absorb the custard as well. Once the bread has dried out, it will be more sponge-like so it can soak up all the flavors.
In typical fashion of old English recipes, this dessert was a way for the poor to use up extra egg, milk and bread as well as being an inexpensive dish to make. Since bread was an inexpensive grocery item, bread was used a lot for both savory and sweet dishes, just like Berry Summer Pudding.
This recipe serves 4 people but you can double the recipe if you need to serve more people (you’ll need a larger dish or make 2 of the same recipe). To store leftover bread and butter pudding, cover tightly and store refrigerated for 3 days.
To reheat bread pudding, put in an ovenproof dish, cover with foil and reheat at 350°F/180°C. Remove the foil at the end to re-crisp the bread (it’s all about that crispy top, remember?). I like to serve with whipped cream and berries.
- You can leave the slices out overnight to dry or lightly toast without browning
