Introducing my epic eggnog bread pudding! An upgrade to the classic British bread pudding dessert, packed with spice, whisky soaked currants and topped with quick vanilla whipped cream.
What is Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is a traditional British dessert. Made with stale bread soaked in milk and egg, it is a bit like a large baked French toast.
It often includes dried fruit, such as raisins or currants and is usually served warm with custard, cream or ice cream.
Ingredients
My eggnog bread pudding is a twist on the classic, made with eggnog in place of milk and using whisky soaked currants to bring out the festive flavours in the classic eggnog cocktail.
All you'll need is:
- Cubed stale bread - I like to use enriched breads, such as challah or my eggnog braided loaf.
- Eggnog - you can use store bought or some of my homemade version.
- Unsalted butter, melted and a little extra to grease the baking tin.
- Eggs.
- Light brown muscovado sugar, firmly packed.
- Nutmeg - use fresh grated nutmeg whenever possible. I used my grater plate, which is shockingly simple to use and super effective in grating the spice to a fine ground.
- Whisky or other liquor of choice - use whatever you would choose to spike an eggnog cocktail with!
- Vanilla extract.
- Dried currants - you can opt for other dried fruits, such as raisins as an alternative, but the currants give a nice festive feel and work well in the recipe.
Process for Eggnog Bread Pudding
My easy eggnog bread pudding is really quite a simple recipe, in three parts.
Part 1: Simmering the Currants
The first step in this recipe (aside from preheating the oven and preparing the baking dish) is to infuse the currants with the liquor and vanilla.
Mix these together and place in a small saucepan. Heat until simmering and allow to boil for about 3 minutes - to help the currants soak in the liquid.
Once done, set aside off the heat to cool.
Part 2: Soaking the Bread
Place your cubed bread into a large mixing bowl. In a jug, whisk together the eggnog, eggs, sugar and ground nutmeg. Add this to the bread and toss through to soak for about five minutes.
Then, add in the currants (along with liquid) and the melted butter.
Part 3: Baking Bread Pudding
Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover with aluminium foil. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour.
Towards the end, remove the foil and check for doneness with a table knife inserted into the centre of the pudding. Once this comes out clean, the bread pudding is ready to be removed.
Ideas for Serving Bread Pudding
My eggnog bread pudding is best served warm with vanilla whipped cream and fresh grated nutmeg. You can use my easy stabilised whipped cream recipe for this, or store bought alternatives.
FAQs
This bread pudding will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. Bread pudding is best served warm, so it is best eaten the day it is baked or reheated either in the microwave or oven. Bread pudding can be eaten chilled or room temperature as well.
Yes, you can freeze bread pudding either baked or unbaked.
If freezing unbaked, be sure you have made your bread pudding in a freezer safe container. Wrap the bread pudding well and place in the freezer. You can cook directly from frozen (as long as the container is also oven safe). Allow extra time as it will take a bit longer than cooking fresh from room temperature.
If freezing after baking, allow to cool first before wrapping thoroughly and freezing. When ready to defrost, allow to come to room temperature before consuming. For warm bread pudding reheat before serving.
If you like this recipe, you might also like some other bakes with eggnog:
Easy Eggnog Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 cups eggnog
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup light brown muscovado sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus extra for topping
- ½ cup dried currants or raisins
- ¼ cup bourbon, whisky or rum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups cubed bread (roughly six slices) best made with challah bread or other enriched loaves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190C/170C Fan) and butter a deep sided baking dish.
- In a small saucepan, heat the currants with the whisky and vanilla over a medium heat until the liquid begins to boil. Allow to boil for about 2-3 minutes to allow the currants to infuse with the flavour. Remove from the stovetop and allow to cool.
- In a large jug, add your eggnog, eggs, sugar and ground nutmeg. Whisk together.
- Place your cubed bread in a large mixing bowl and add the eggnog mixture. Toss to coat the bread and allow to soak for about 5 minutes.
- Add the melted butter along with the currants and excess liquor from the saucepan. Stir through.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover in a layer of aluminium foil. Place in the centre of the oven to bake for about 1 hour. In order to check for doneness, use a table knife inserted into the centre of the bread pudding. The pudding is ready when this comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve warm with whipped cream and fresh grated nutmeg.
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