This plum bread pudding is one of my favorite ways to use stale bread rolls. Combine them with plums, an egg and milk custard, and a little cinnamon, and there you have it: a warm dessert or sweet main meal, served with lots of vanilla sauce.
I use quite a lot of plums because that's the point of the recipe: you don't want just a few pieces of fruit between the bread. Italian plums (Zwetschgen) are especially good here, as they hold their shape well during baking. The vanilla sauce is almost a must. Do try the homemade version if possible; it's so good.
If you like traditional German desserts, you might also enjoy my Kirschmichel, a cherry casserole made with semolina and flour instead of bread rolls.
Ingredients: 10 + salt | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Soaking time: 15 minutes | Servings: 6-8 | Difficulty: Easy
Recipe ingredients
Bread rolls: You will need six stale white bread rolls, about 12-14 oz (350-400 g). German-style Brötchen are ideal, but other plain white rolls are ok. If they are still soft and fresh, dry them in the oven before using them so that the plum pudding doesn't get too soggy.
Plums: Italian plums (Zwetschgen) are the best choice; they will hold their shape better during baking. They are smaller, oval, and less juicy than large round plums. You can also use other plums, preferably ones that are ripe but still firm.
- If you have more Italian plums to use up, try this German Plum Cake or my Plum Dumplings.
Milk, heavy cream, and eggs for the custard.
Other ingredients: Sugar, vanilla, butter, cinnamon, and sliced almonds.
See the recipe card for the full ingredient quantities and instructions.
How to make plum bread pudding?
Step #1: Cut the bread rolls into roughly ¾-inch/ 2 cm slices.
Step #2: Halve and pit the plums, cutting larger ones into smaller pieces.
Step #3: Whisk together the milk, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
Step #4: Layer the bread and plums in the baking dish, leaving some plums visible on top. Slowly pour the custard over everything. Leave it to soak for about 15 minutes.
Step #5: Dot the pudding with small pieces of butter and sprinkle with sliced almonds and a little sugar.
Step #6: Bake for 40-45 minutes until the custard is set and the top is golden brown. Let stand for about 20 minutes before serving.
Tips
Use stale bread, which absorbs the custard better without becoming too soft. If the bread is fresh, the plum pudding will get soggy.
Don't press the bread too firmly; just push it gently into the custard.
Don't reduce the plums too much: The recipe uses 1.3 lbs/ 600 g of fruit, which may seem like a lot, but this amount of plums is what makes the pudding especially good. You can go down to about 1 lb/ 500 g, but I would not go lower than that.
Let it rest before serving: The pudding will be easier to portion after resting, as it becomes firmer.
What to serve with plum bread pudding?
My favorite way to serve it is warm with homemade vanilla sauce.
You can also serve the pudding with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Ice cream goes particularly well with the still very warm pudding.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerator: Cover the dish or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. You can keep the plum bread pudding for up to 3 days.
Reheating: You can reheat the portions in the microwave. If you have a larger amount, cover it loosely with foil and place it in the oven until heated through.
Plum Bread Pudding
Equipment
- Baking dish 12 x 8 inches/ 30 x 20 cm, Note 1
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 6 stale white bread rolls about 12-14 oz/ 350-400 g, Note 2
- 1.3 lbs Italian plums or other plums, Note 3
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 large eggs
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar Note 4
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons butter + 1 teaspoon for the dish
- ¼ cup sliced almonds optional
- 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Butter the baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter.
- Prepare the bread: Cut the stale bread rolls into roughly ¾-inch/ 2 cm slices.6 stale white bread rolls
- Prepare the plums: Wash, halve, and pit the plums. Quarter the plums or cut them into rough pieces if they are very large.1.3 lbs Italian plums
- Make the custard: Whisk together the milk, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until combined.2 cups milk + ½ cup heavy cream + 4 large eggs + ⅓ cup granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + 1 pinch of salt
- Layer the ingredients: Loosely arrange the bread and plums in the prepared baking dish, leaving some of the plums visible on top.
- Add the custard: Slowly pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread. Press the bread down very lightly to help it absorb the liquid without becoming mushy. Let stand for about 15 minutes.
- Add the topping: Dot the pudding with small pieces of butter. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and 1-2 tablespoons of sugar.2 tablespoons butter + ¼ cup sliced almonds + 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until the custard is set and the top is golden brown. If the top becomes too dark before the pudding is done, cover it loosely with aluminum foil toward the end of baking.
- Rest and serve: Let the pudding stand for about 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm, preferably with vanilla sauce. It can also be served cold and will slice more neatly once completely cooled (Note 5).
Notes
- Baking dish: Use a baking dish with a capacity of about 2 quarts (2 liters). The pudding needs enough room for the bread, fruit, and custard without being packed too tightly.
- Bread rolls: Stale German-style white bread rolls work best. If the rolls are still fresh and soft, slice them and dry them in a 250°F (120°C) oven for 10-15 minutes before assembling the pudding. This helps them absorb the custard without falling apart.
- Plums: Italian plums (Zwetschgen) are my first choice because they hold their shape well and aren't as juicy as larger round plums. Other varieties can be used, preferably ripe but still firm. The recipe deliberately uses plenty of plums. The idea is to have some fruit in almost every bite rather than mostly soaked bread.
- Sugar: The pudding is not overly sweet; you can add a couple of tablespoons more sugar if you like to make it sweeter.
- Serving: The pudding tastes best warm with vanilla sauce, but it can also be served cold. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
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