Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 350 g brioche loaf, sliced and halved
- 50 g unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g fresh raspberries
- 1 orange zest, finely grated
Custard
- 250 ml whole milk
- 250 ml heavy cream
- 3 eggs
- 75 g caster sugar
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Topping
- 20 g demerara sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 539 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 41 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 22 g
- Sodium
- 285 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Trans Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 162 mg
- Potassium
- 240 mg
- Calcium
- 125 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 17 mg
- Phosphorus
- 163 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 410 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 21 mcg
- Water
- 103 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Grease the baking dish lightly. Butter the brioche slices generously on one side, then cut them into triangles or halves.
Arrange half the buttered brioche in the dish, scattering half the raspberries and half the orange zest over the top. Repeat with the remaining brioche, raspberries, and zest.
In a saucepan, combine the milk and cream. Heat gently over medium heat until it just begins to simmer (do not boil), then remove from heat.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, caster sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and slightly thickened.
Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent scrambling.
Pour the custard evenly over the brioche layers. Press the bread down gently with a spatula to ensure it is submerged.
Let the pudding stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the brioche to absorb the custard. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) during this time.
Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top of the pudding for a crunchy crust.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the custard is set but still has a slight wobble in the center.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow the custard to set further.
Chef's Notes
- Using slightly stale brioche is superior to fresh bread as it absorbs the custard without disintegrating.
- The 30-minute soak is crucial; if you skip this, the custard will separate from the bread rather than creating a unified texture.
- For an extra decadent touch, glaze the finished pudding with a little warmed apricot jam.
- If the top begins to brown too quickly before the custard is set, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Cover tightly with cling film or store in an airtight container.
Reheating: Warm gently in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes or microwave in short bursts.
Troubleshooting
Custard has curdled or separated
Cause: Oven temperature was too high or pudding was baked too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but can still be eaten if the texture isn't too grainy
Prevention: Ensure oven is at 170°C and check for the 'wobble' at the 30-minute mark
Pudding is soggy in the middle
Cause: Bread didn't soak long enough or custard was undercooked
Fix: Return to oven for 5-10 minutes, covering top with foil if browning too much
Prevention: Allow the full 30-minute soak time; bake until center is set
Cultural Context
Bread and butter pudding is a traditional British dessert dating back to the early 18th century, originally designed as a frugal way to use up stale bread. This version elevates the humble nursery food with French brioche and citrus notes, moving it from leftover status to a centerpiece dessert.
