Delia Smith Bread Pudding Recipe

Delia Smith’s bread pudding is not the same as bread and butter pudding, and that is the first thing people get wrong. There is no custard, no layering, no butter on the bread. You break stale bread into pieces, soak it in milk, mix it with melted butter, brown sugar, mixed spice, and dried fruit, then bake it at 180°C (350°F) for about an hour and a quarter until it comes out like a dense, spiced fruit cake that serves 6.

I found this in Delia’s Complete Cookery Course in the leftovers section. She says it was invented to use up stale bread, but it has turned into something worth making the bread go stale on purpose for. The mixed spice and orange zest give it a warmth that reminds me of Christmas cake, except this takes a fraction of the time and costs almost nothing.

Try More Pudding Recipes:

• All Pudding Recipes
• Sticky Toffee Pudding
• Rice Pudding
• Christmas Pudding

Why Is It Not the Same as Bread and Butter Pudding?

Bread and butter pudding layers whole slices in a dish and pours egg custard over them. This recipe breaks the bread into small pieces and soaks them in plain milk until they go soft, then everything gets mixed together and baked as one solid mass.

The result is completely different. The bread and butter pudding is soft, wobbly, and custardy. This one is firm enough to cut into squares and eat cold the next day with a cup of tea. It is closer to a cake than a pudding, which is why it works so well in a lunch box.

Bread Pudding Ingredients

• 225g (8 oz) bread (white or brown), crusts removed
• 275ml (½ pint) milk
• 50g (2 oz) butter, melted
• 75g (3 oz) soft brown sugar
• 2 level tsp mixed spice
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 175g (6 oz) mixed dried fruit (sultanas, currants, raisins)
• Grated zest of ½ orange
• Freshly grated nutmeg for the top

How To Make Delia Smith Bread Pudding

1. Soak the bread: Break the bread into small pieces, about 1cm, and put them in a large bowl. Pour the milk over and stir well. Leave for 30 minutes so the bread goes completely soft.
2. Heat the oven: Set to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4 / 350°F). Butter a baking dish, about 1.25 to 1.5 litre size.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, mixed spice, and beaten egg.
4. Combine everything: Pour the butter mixture into the soaked bread. Beat it with a fork until there are no lumps. Stir in the dried fruit and orange zest.
5. Bake: Spread the mixture into the buttered dish. Sprinkle a little extra sugar and freshly grated nutmeg over the top. Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes until firm and golden brown on top.
6. Serve or cool: Eat it warm with cream, or let it cool completely and cut into squares. It is just as good cold.

Does the Bread Need to Be Stale?

Stale bread works better because it soaks up the milk faster and breaks down into a smoother mixture. Fresh bread holds its shape too much and gives you lumps.

If all you have is fresh bread, tear it up and leave it out on the counter for a few hours, or put it in a low oven for 10 minutes. Delia says any bread works, white or brown, but I prefer white because it gives a lighter colour and softer texture.

Keeping It and Eating It Cold

This is one of the few puddings that is genuinely as good cold as it is hot. Cut it into squares once it has cooled and keep it in an airtight tin for up to 5 days. It firms up overnight and becomes more like a spiced fruit cake.

It does not freeze well because the bread goes crumbly when you thaw it. But it lasts long enough in a tin that freezing is not really needed. The apple and almond pudding is one that does freeze well if you want something you can make ahead.

FAQs

More Recipes To Try:

• Bread and Butter Pudding
• Eve’s Pudding
• Summer Fruit Pudding

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 310 kcal
• Fat: 10g
• Carbohydrates: 48g
• Protein: 6g
• Dietary Fibre: 2g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving (serves 6).