Chocolate Sourdough Bread Pudding for Two

Bread pudding is a simple dessert made from dry bread, milk, eggs, and sometimes spices. It's popular in America and Europe but varies depending on your look. I will share my chocolate sourdough bread pudding recipe that makes two servings so that you can make this dessert for yourself and/or a friend! I used this delicious Bread & Chocolate ciabatta from the famed Berkshire Mountain Bakery in Massachusetts.

This recipe uses stale sourdough bread, so it doesn't need to be baked fresh. Instead, this gives you an excuse to buy some from your local farmer's market or even a small portion, like ciabatta or a small baguette—and it's a great way to reduce food waste along with some pantry ingredients.

• Leftover sourdough bread: The recipe itself isn’t too fussy, so don’t worry too much about an exact amount! Stale bread is the name of the game! I used day-old sourdough bread which I cut into cubes. If you want to use fresh bread, it will need to dry out the day at room temperature for a day to remove some excess moisture from the bread, so it doesn't make your pudding soggy!
• Heavy cream: Heavy cream has a high-fat content and is sweeter than milk, which gives it more body in baked goods like bread pudding. You can use whole milk if you prefer a lighter texture and flavor.
• Sugar: how much sugar you add to the custard depends on how sweet you like your desserts! I start small with 1 tablespoon since it's only a serving for two
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs. A whole egg plus an egg yolk will make the pudding rich and creamy, but don't worry if you don't have it—it will still be delicious!
• Cooking spray or melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease your dish with cooking spray or melted butter and set aside.

Cut the bread into cubes, then on a baking sheet, toast the cubed bread on low heat until the tender bread is dry to the touch. Let the cubes come to room temperature before proceeding. Add them to a large bowl with milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream using egg, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of sugar if desired). Stir well until the liquid mixture is combined thoroughly.

Pour your bread pudding mixture into the greased baking dish and sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top of the bread pudding mixture evenly if desired). Bake for 1 hour or until the top is a golden brown and the custard is slightly jiggly in the center.

• The custard contains eggs, sugar, cream, and vanilla extract. You can use whole milk or half-and-half for the best results. I do not recommend skim milk because it will not have enough fat to absorb the egg mixture properly.
• You can also add unsweetened cocoa powder, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the topping if you'd like.
• The bread pieces should be dried out before cooking them in the custard mixture, so they absorb more liquid as they cook – this makes them softer and creamier while retaining their texture when cut into squares after baking.

This bread pudding is perfect for two people. It's not too heavy but rich enough to satisfy your sweet tooth. The bread soaks up the custard and becomes soft and delicious. I like to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, but if you feel extra decadent, drizzle on some caramel sauce. Cover leftovers with plastic wrap.

Yes! Bread pudding freezes beautifully and is easy to thaw. Just let it sit in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Bread should be a day old and a little dried out, but not rock-hard. If you don't have dry bread on hand, you can bake it ahead of time and keep it in an airtight container for up to two days before making the pudding.

Bread pudding is traditionally served warm with a sweet sauce or syrup on top—we recommend our maple bourbon sauce. You can also do it with whipped cream, ice cream, or custard sauce if that's more your style!

Leave it uncovered so the top gets crispy and golden brown (and delicious!).

How long can you keep bread pudding in the fridge?

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