Justin's Brûléed Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

Recipe by

Justin Burke

Serves

12-16

Difficulty

Intermediate

Justin's Brûléed Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

Photo by:

Brian Samuels

Excerpted from POTLUCK DESSERTS: JOYFUL RECIPES TO SHARE WITH PRIDE by Justin Burke, copyright ©2025, reprinted by permission of Countryman Press, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Co., Inc. All rights reserved

I used to work at a restaurant where we always had extra bread at the end of the night. It felt like such a waste, especially since there was a limit of how many bread crumbs we could make out of it. So I decided to take a chance and make bread pudding, but not just any bread pudding— a small batch, off- menu version that depended on the amount of leftover bread from the night before. And if I was going to make bread pudding, I would do it my way. I didn’t want the typical mushy, overly soaked bread pudding. Instead, I aimed for something with texture, something inspired by Thanksgiving stuffing but with a sweet twist. I created a custard, infused with cinnamon and cardamom, that was just right for soaking the bread and binding it together but that left the top to crisp up beautifully. Then, I brûléed it with a generous amount of sugar, creating a sweet, caramelized crust. This bread pudding is a flavor explosion, served warm and topped with a light but bold butterscotch sauce. And if you can, serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect finishing touch.

Ingredients

FOR THE BREAD PUDDING

16 cups (about 2 loaves) stale bread (such as brioche, challah, or pullman), cubed about 1 inch
4 cups (960 g) whole milk
⅔ cup (132 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Peni Miris Cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground Baraka Cardamom
½ teaspoon Surya Salt or kosher salt
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

FOR THE BRÛLÉE TOPPING

¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

FOR THE BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

1 cup (220 g) Madhur Jaggery or light brown sugar
½ cup (165 g) light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup (120 g) heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon brandy (optional)

Methods

Butter a 15- inch casserole dish and add the bread to the dish (bread will be heaping over the dish).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, eggs, and vanilla bean paste until evenly combined. Pour the custard over the bread, then firmly press down on the bread to absorb the custard and compress the bread into an even layer. All the bread should be pressed down far enough to absorb the custard. Cover with foil and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, best overnight.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Leave the bread pudding covered with the foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the bread pudding puffs up and when pressed down no custard rises from the center or around the edges.
Remove from the oven and discard the foil. Make the brûlée topping. With an offset spatula or rubber spatula, carefully spread the butter over the top of the bread, then sprinkle with sugar. Raise the oven rack two notches down from the top of the oven and set your oven to broil. Place the bread pudding back in the oven and broil until the sugar is caramelized with a deep amber color, rotating the dish a few times for an even caramelization, 2 to 3 minutes. You can also use a kitchen torch if you have one. Remove the bread pudding and cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, prepare the butterscotch sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium- low heat, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat, and continue boiling for 3 minutes, continuing to whisk to prevent scorching on the bottom. Whisk in the heavy cream and continue cooking for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve over a heatproof bowl to collect any burnt pieces. Whisk in the brandy, if using.
Serve the bread pudding warm. Scoop a serving into a bowl and pour a generous helping of butterscotch over the top.

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