Gordon Ramsay Bread Pudding Recipe

Gordon Ramsay has always championed British bread and butter pudding, and this is my version in that spirit: torn day-old brioche soaked in a vanilla and cinnamon custard, baked low and slow until puffed and golden, with a center that sets like a soft crème brûlée. About 20 minutes of work and one baking dish, and it uses up bread that would otherwise go to waste.

If you want the American-style version with raisins and a poured vanilla sauce, see my Old Fashioned Bread Pudding.

Ingredients

For the pudding

• 1 lb (450 g) brioche or challah, preferably day-old, torn into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
• 4 tbsp (55 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing the dish
• 4 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (75 g) raisins (optional)

For serving

• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• Warm vanilla custard sauce or lightly sweetened whipped cream

The bread matters most

Enriched bread like brioche, challah or even leftover panettone has the structure to soak up a full quart of custard and still hold its shape. Soft, fresh sandwich bread dissolves into paste. If your bread is fresh, tear it up and leave it uncovered for a few hours or overnight to dry out.

Method

Fill the dish

Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and butter a 9×13-inch dish well. Spread the torn brioche evenly in it and scatter over the raisins, if using.

Whisk the custard

Whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar, salt, cinnamon and vanilla for about a minute, until smooth and a little paler. Whisk in the milk and cream until there are no streaks of egg left.

Soak for 30 minutes

Pour the custard over the bread and press it down gently with a spatula. Leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes, pressing once halfway. Every piece should look saturated before it goes in the oven. This soak is the difference between a silky middle and dry patches.

Bake low and slow

Drizzle the melted butter over the top and bake for 45–50 minutes, until puffed and deep golden. A gentle oven sets the custard evenly; a hot one curdles the edges before the middle is cooked. It’s ready when a knife near the center comes out with moist crumbs but no liquid custard, and the middle still trembles slightly.

Rest, then serve warm

Let it rest for 15 minutes; the leftover heat finishes setting the center. Cut it too early and it collapses and weeps. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with custard sauce or whipped cream. A serrated knife keeps the crisp top intact.

Variations

• Chocolate: scatter 1 cup of chopped dark chocolate through the bread before adding the custard.
• Apple and cinnamon: toss 2 diced tart apples with extra cinnamon and tuck them between the bread.
• Bourbon and cherry: whisk 2 tbsp bourbon into the custard and use dried cherries instead of raisins.
• Lighter: use 2 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup cream. Dropping the cream completely makes it noticeably less rich.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Assemble it through the soaking step, cover and refrigerate overnight, then bake it straight from the fridge, adding 5–10 minutes. Baked leftovers keep for 4 days in the fridge; reheat portions covered at 325°F (165°C) for 15–20 minutes.

Dessert

Gordon Ramsay Bread Pudding Recipe

Day-old brioche soaked in vanilla custard and baked low and slow until puffed and golden. Silky in the middle with a crackly caramelised top — serve warm with cream.

Chef Gordon Ramsay Recipes

Prep
20 minutes

Cook
50 minutes

Total
1 hour 55 minutes

Serves
8 servings

🖨 Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) brioche or challah, preferably day-old, torn into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)4 tbsp (55 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing the dish4 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar1/4 tsp fine sea salt1 tsp ground cinnamon2 tsp pure vanilla extract2 cups (480 ml) whole milk1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream1/2 cup (75 g) raisins (optional)Powdered sugar, for dustingWarm vanilla custard sauce or lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Instructions

01

Butter the dish and fill with bread

Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Generously butter a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish. Tear the brioche into rough 1-inch cubes, spread evenly in the dish, and scatter the raisins over the top if using.

02

Whisk the custard

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla until smooth and slightly pale, about 1 minute. Pour in the milk and cream and whisk until fully combined with no streaks of egg remaining.

03

Soak 30 minutes

Pour the custard evenly over the bread and press gently with a spatula so every cube starts absorbing it. Rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, pressing once halfway through, until the bread looks fully saturated.

04

Bake low and slow

Drizzle the melted butter over the top. Bake 45–50 minutes, until puffed, deeply golden, and just set — a knife inserted near the center should come out with moist crumbs, not liquid custard.

05

Rest 15 minutes

Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. The residual heat finishes setting the center; cutting too early makes it collapse and weep.

06

Serve warm

Dust with powdered sugar and spoon into bowls while still warm, with vanilla custard sauce or lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Chef Tips

• Use day-old brioche or challah — slightly stale bread drinks up custard without turning to mush.
• Don't skip the 30-minute soak; it is what gives the silky, even center.
• Pull the pudding when the center still trembles slightly — it finishes setting as it rests.
• Reheat leftovers covered at 325°F for 15–20 minutes; the top crisps back up.

For more comforting desserts, try my Gordon Ramsay Pumpkin Spice Latte Tiramisu or the Banoffee Cake. More on Pinterest.