Budino di Pane (Italian Bread Pudding)
Why this recipe works
- Makes good use of stale bread: Warm milk softens day-old country bread into a thick base that bakes into a tender pudding rather than a dry crumb.
- Sweet but not heavy: Lemon zest, cinnamon and vanilla balance the sugar and milk, keeping the flavour fragrant and rounded.
- Soft custard texture: Eggs bind the soaked bread gently, giving the pudding structure while leaving the centre moist and softly set.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Most of the time is inactive: The hands-on work is brief; the bread needs time to soak properly before the pudding goes into the oven.
- Rest before serving: Let the pudding stand after baking so the custard settles and the texture firms slightly.
- Cool for cleaner slices: Serve warm for a softer pudding, or let it cool to room temperature if you want neater portions.
Ingredient notes
- Use sturdy bread: Tuscan-style country bread works well because it absorbs the milk without collapsing into a gluey texture.
- Tear, don’t slice: Rough pieces create a more varied texture, with softer custardy areas and a gently uneven top.
- Raisins bake into the custard: Dried fruit softens as the pudding bakes, adding small pockets of sweetness throughout.
Texture tips
- For a softer pudding: Bake until the centre is set but still has a gentle wobble; it will continue to firm as it rests.
- For slices rather than spoonfuls: Bake a little longer and allow the pudding to cool before cutting.
- Avoid drying it out: Once the centre is set, remove it from the oven rather than waiting for the whole pudding to feel firm.
Make-ahead tips
- Make ahead for serving later: Bake, cool completely, then cover and refrigerate until needed.
- Reheat gently: Warm portions in a 170°C (340°F) oven until piping hot, or serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Freeze in portions: Freeze well-wrapped pieces after cooling, then defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease a baking dish with the unsalted butter.
- Tear the tuscan country bread into rough bite-size pieces and put into a large mixing bowl. Warm the whole milk in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling, then pour it over the bread and press down so it is mostly submerged.
- Leave to soak for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the bread is very soft. Use a whisk or fork to break it up into a thick, porridge-like mixture.
- Whisk in the caster sugar, finely grated lemon zest, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. Whisk in the eggs until fully combined, then fold through the raisin.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and level the top. Bake for 35 minutes, or until puffed and set with a gentle wobble in the centre.
- Rest for 10 minutes before serving warm, or leave to cool to room temperature for neater slices. The pudding will settle slightly as it cools.
Recipe notes
Tips
- If the top is browning too quickly, move the dish to a lower shelf for the final 10 minutes of baking.
- For a softer, more custardy texture, bake until the centre still has a slight wobble; for a firmer slice, bake 5 minutes longer.
- If serving to pregnant people, young children, older adults, or anyone immunocompromised, ensure the pudding is baked until fully set and piping hot throughout.
Substitutions
- Replace the raisin with sultana for a slightly juicier, milder sweetness.
- Replace the lemon with orange for a rounder citrus aroma.
- Replace the vanilla extract with madagascar-vanilla-paste for a more intense vanilla flavour.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat portions in a 170°C (340°F) oven for 10 to 15 minutes until piping hot, or serve cold. Freeze well-wrapped portions for up to 2 months; defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Ratings & reviews
Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.
Tried this recipe?
Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.
Stay inspired
Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.
Recipe overview
- Servings: 6 servings
- Total time: 1h 20min (15min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Italian
-
Allergens:
Eggs Milk Wheat
Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.
Add to meal plannerEquipment you'll need
Got ingredients left?
Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.
Find recipes with these ingredients →
Light Crème Caramel (Vanilla Custard Dessert)
Light crème caramel with vanilla custard and caramel sauce
Chè Trôi Nước (Vietnamese Floating Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup)
Glutinous rice balls with mung bean in ginger syrup
Rijstepap met Kaneel (Dutch Rice Pudding with Cinnamon)
Creamy Dutch rice pudding served warm with cinnamon
Multekrem (Norwegian Cloudberry Cream)
Cloudberries folded into lightly sweetened whipped cream
Rabri (Thickened Milk Dessert with Saffron)
Slow-reduced milk dessert with cardamom, saffron, pistachios and almonds
Dulce de Camote (Sweet Potato Paste with Cinnamon)
Sliceable sweet potato paste cooked with sugar and cinnamon
Mango Kulfi
Dense mango kulfi with reduced milk and cardamom
Air Fryer Mini Cheesecakes
Mini cheesecakes baked in an air fryer, then chilled.
Clafoutis aux Cerises (French Baked Cherry Custard)
French baked cherry custard with a light crêpe-like batter
Tamarind Candy Paletas (Tamarind Ice Lollies with Chilli and Lime)
Tangy tamarind paletas with chilli and lime
Stoofperen (Dutch Spiced Stewed Pears in Red Wine)
Pears stewed in red wine with cinnamon and cloves
Sernik Królewski (Royal Polish Cheesecake)
Polish cheesecake with quark filling and cocoa pastry
Kaiserschmarrn (Torn Pancake) with Apple Compote
Fluffy torn pancake with raisins, icing sugar and apple compote
Leche Asada (Chilean Baked Milk Custard)
Chilean baked milk custard with a caramelised browned top
Torrijas (Spanish Easter Brioche Toast)
Fried brioche soaked in cinnamon milk and coated in sugar
Croustade aux Pommes (Apple Pastry Tart)
Buttery apple tart with compote and cinnamon
Ciambella al Forno (Italian Breakfast Ring Cake)
Italian breakfast ring cake with lemon zest, mixed in one bowl
Gubana (Friulian Sweet Spiral Loaf with Nuts and Raisins)
Friulian sweet spiral loaf with nuts, raisins and rum
You might also like
Basundi (Thickened Sweetened Milk with Cardamom and Saffron)
Thickened sweetened milk dessert with cardamom, saffron and pistachios
Korean Spicy Chicken Poke Bowl
Spicy gochujang chicken bowl over sushi rice with vegetables.
Mango Shrikhand (Indian Yoghurt Dessert)
Chilled mango shrikhand made with thick yoghurt and cardamom
Finnish Sausage and Potato Casserole (Makkaralaatikko)
Baked Finnish potato and sausage casserole set with egg
Daoud Basha (Lebanese Meatballs in Tomato and Tamarind Sauce)
Lebanese beef meatballs simmered in tomato and tamarind sauce
Buñuelos (Crispy Fried Pastry Discs)
Crispy fried pastry discs dusted with cinnamon sugar
Make this recipe easier next time
AdvertisementThese tools help you get better results with less effort.
KitchenAid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- Non-slip base
- Stainless steel
- Not microwave safe
T-fal Specialty Nonstick Handy Pot with Glass Lid 3 Quart
- Easy food release
- Dishwasher safe
- Not induction compatible
OXO Good Grips Stainless Mixing Bowl Set
- Non-slip base
- Comfort grip
- Higher price
WMF Mini Saucepan 16 cm with Lid
- High-quality stainless steel
- Even heat distribution
- Higher price point
Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?
Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.
Add JustRecipes to GoogleEvery recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.
