Sandra This custardy, golden Alton Brown Bread Pudding is made with stale French bread, bourbon-macerated fruit, and a spiced vanilla custard, ready in about 90 minutes. The hero moment happens in the oven when the folded egg whites cause the pudding to puff up like a soufflé, creating a crispy top over a pillowy interior. I love how the recipe creates a “chef’s treat” of leftover homemade eggnog to sip while you bake.
Why This Classic Works
I’ve made dozens of bread puddings, but this version stands out because it borrows a technique from soufflés. Instead of just mixing whole eggs into the milk, Alton separates them, whipping the whites to stiff peaks before folding them back into the custard. I was surprised by how much lighter this made the final dish—it loses that dense, heavy brick texture that bad bread puddings often have.
The other secret is the liquid ratio. The recipe actually yields more custard than the bread can absorb, and Alton instructs you to reserve two cups of the mixture for “sipping” before baking. I learned the hard way that if you skip this step and pour it all in, you’ll end up with a soggy mess; by reserving the excess, you get perfect saturation and a delicious glass of spiked eggnog on the side.
Alton Brown Bread Pudding Ingredients
- Dried Fruit: 1/2 cup dried cherries, blueberries, or raisins (chopped).
- Bourbon: 3 fluid ounces (for soaking the fruit).
- Bread: 12 ounces stale French bread, Challah, or Focaccia, cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Eggs: 4 large eggs, separated.
- Sugar: 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
- Milk: 2 cups whole milk.
- Cream: 1 cup heavy cream.
- Spices: 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg.
- Butter: 1 teaspoon unsalted butter (for greasing the dish).
How To Make Alton Brown Bread Pudding
- Macerate the Fruit: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine the dried fruit and bourbon. Let it soak for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a 1 1/2-quart baking dish with the butter.
- Make the Yolk Custard: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and the sugar has dissolved. Strain the bourbon from the fruit into this yolk mixture (keep the fruit for later!). Add the milk, heavy cream, and nutmeg to the bowl and mix until combined. Transfer this liquid to a separate container.
- Whip the Egg Whites: Clean your mixer bowl thoroughly. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold and Reserve: Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk/milk mixture. Crucial Step: Remove 2 cups of this mixture and set it aside to drink (this is your chef’s treat!). Pour the remaining custard over the bread cubes in a large bowl, add the reserved fruit, and toss to combine.
- Soak and Bake: Let the bread soak for 20 minutes to absorb the liquid. Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking dish, pressing the bread down gently if needed. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is puffed and golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Stale Bread is Non-Negotiable: If your bread is fresh, cut it into cubes and toast it in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes. Fresh bread will turn to mush; stale bread acts like a sponge that holds its shape.
- Don’t Skip the Sipping: It might feel wrong to remove 2 cups of the custard, but this base is essentially homemade eggnog. If you pour all the liquid onto the bread, the ratio will be off, and the pudding won’t set correctly.
- Grate Fresh Nutmeg: Since nutmeg is the primary spice here, pre-ground powder won’t do it justice. Freshly grated nutmeg offers a punchy, floral aroma that defines the flavor profile.
What To Serve With Bread Pudding
This dish is rich enough to stand alone, but it pairs perfectly with Marshall’s Whiskey Sauce, a creamy, cooked custard sauce often recommended by Alton. Alternatively, a simple scoop of high-quality vanilla bean ice cream provides a cold, creamy contrast to the warm, spiced bread.
How To Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place individual slices in the microwave for 30 seconds or warm them in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes to crisp up the top again.
FAQs
Can I make this without alcohol?
Yes. You can soak the fruit in hot tea or apple juice instead of bourbon, and replace the bourbon in the custard with an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Why do I have to separate the eggs?
Separating the eggs allows you to whip the whites into a foam. This adds air to the custard, giving the bread pudding a lighter, soufflé-like lift that you don’t get with whole eggs.
Can I prepare this ahead of time?
You can soak the bread in the custard mixture for up to an hour before baking, but don’t leave it overnight, or the folded egg whites will deflate and lose their lifting power.
Nutrition
- Calories: 503
- Total Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Cholesterol: 185mg
- Sodium: 240mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 53g
- Protein: 11g
Try More Recipes:
- Alton Brown Skillet Cornbread Recipe
- Alton Brown No Knead Bread Recipe
- Alton Brown Pork Chops Recipe
Alton Brown Bread Pudding Recipe
Description
A unique bread pudding recipe that uses bourbon-soaked fruit and a folded egg white custard (resembling eggnog) to create a light, soufflé-like texture.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Soak dried fruit in bourbon for 30 minutes.
- Beat egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until pale.
- Strain bourbon into yolks (reserve fruit); add milk, cream, and nutmeg.
- Whip egg whites to soft peaks; add 1 tbsp sugar and whip to stiff peaks.
- Fold whites into yolk mixture.
- Reserve 2 cups of liquid (to drink); pour remaining over bread.
- Add fruit and soak 20 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes.
Notes
- Folding the whipped egg whites into the custard base creates a lighter, fluffier pudding that puffs up in the oven, distinguishing it from dense, soggy traditional recipes.
- Reserving 2 cups of the liquid is a humorous but practical step from Alton; the recipe makes more custard than the bread can hold, and the “leftover” is essentially homemade eggnog.
- Soaking the bread for a full 20 minutes before baking is critical to ensure the custard penetrates the center of the cubes, preventing dry spots in the finished dessert.
