Bread pudding

[DeltaAlphaDelta79]

Has anyone got a sure thing bread pudding recipe they are willing to share please? I have tried some found online (BBC Food and others) but the consistency was just too soft/mushy. I need something heavy and stodgy just like Granny used to make. 😃

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/04/nigel-slater-classic-bread-pudding

I tried this one and found it fairly indigestible so it might be what you are looking for....

My mum used to make Delia Smith's one.

Thank you, although it looks a lot paler than I was thinking 🤔

Thank you

I make it all the time with no recipe!
Soak bread in milk/ tea/ orange juice add raisins and cinnamon/ nutmeg/ allspice. Squeeze out and add one whisked egg and a table spoon of sugar for each lb/ 500g of stodge. Bake for an hour at 160 with sprinkle of brown sugar. I also poke down any proud raisins as they burn otherwise. Proper walking food!

Yes thats what my Granny used to do so didn't have a recipe as such, all by eye/feel.

When you mean squeeze out the bread, do you do it so its all in a lump and what do you with the liquid that comes out?

I soak the bread in chunks. It’s rarely a white sliced loaf, more likely home made white loaf or sourdough ie tough, a real mix and I’ll discard any particularly hard crusts. I’m trying to think what the consistency is like after. Soggy but not dripping! Sorry that’s not much help.

Ok thank you. She used to use shop bought thick cut white loaves but ripped it into chunks.

Dare I say it, but Greggs used to do a very reasonable version but stopped selling it a few years ago!

The Bero book has the old school recipe that you describe

Thank you

My mum used to make the best bread pudding and used the Bero book😊. Yes Greggs wasn’t too bad but my mum’s was the best. I need to look up the recipe.

I think my mum might have the Bero book. Will investigate!

My Granny's method (all by eye)
Just soak the bread in water, then squeeze as much water out as possible.
Beat the bread with a wooden spoon to bash out all the lumps, add a bit of chopped lard or lard/butter mix or suet (approx 2 - 4ozs). Add sugar, approx 4-6 ozs, generous amount of mixed spice and plenty of mixed dried fruit.
NO egg

Grease baking dish, pack pudding mix in, sprinkle with sugar and bake in moderate oven until done.

Thanks. It would definitely be lard or suet!

Yup. Lard best for pastry too!

I occasionally make it myself using Gran's method. Never fails. Inside it's a dense, almost jelly-like consistency. Delicious warm or cold.
Don't overcook, cover top with butter paper to protect if top cooking too quickly

Family recipe dating pre war and very similar to previous poster

Pour boiling water over bread and mash with a fork.
Add about a tablespoon of flour, spice, a little sugar, about 2oz of butter and an egg. Mix well
Finally dried fruit (usually raisins and sultanas)

If it's too soft or mushy it probably because you aren't squeezing all the liquid out. Try putting g it I a muslin or clean teatowel and tightening to get as much out as possible and it should be less mushy.

Its that bit I can't recall my Granny doing or get my head around. Do you squeeze the bread until its a solid lump and then break it up with a fork? Is the squeezed out liquid discarded?

Gran put the soaked bread in a colander, then pressed it down with a plate several times to squeeze the water out. Discard the water. Chop through with a table knife to break up big lumps, then dump in mixing bowl and beat with wooden spoon. Bread mix will be very moist but not sloppy.

I soak the sultanas and mixed peel (lovepeel!) in brandy. Gives it something special.

These all sound great. Will let you all know how it goes, thank you 😊

My Nan used to put chopped apple in hers. It was divine.

Squeeze it all out.mybrecioe uses suet and I just beat the bread with the other ingredients with a wooden spoon until it's all broken down and pretty smooth.

I use BBC good food but the bread has to be stale...I open the bag a couple of days before I want to make it so the bread can dry out, then leave it to soak for a couple of hours before cooking. Think it comes out how it should.