This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission.
Indulge in this decadent twist on a classic bread and butter pudding. Made with rich brioche bread and creamy white chocolate infused with the flavours of eggnog, this treat is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Absolutely perfect as a show-stopping dessert or for Christmas morning!
For more great festive recipe ideas, check out our Christmas Collection!
Everyone knows that dinner is the showcase event when Christmas comes around, Still, I can’t help but get excited about breakfast when Christmas morning comes around!
I love to get the day off to an amazing start and a beautiful, decadent breakfast treat is just the way to do it. But no one wants to do do a lot of work either, so it has to be a recipe that can be prepared the night before.
As an homage to a traditional English Christmas, I decided to make a bread and butter pudding. But I also wanted to bring my own twist.
One thing that Christmas needs is a healthy dose of eggnog, and I used my homemade eggnog recipe to find inspiration I needed. Adding warming spices to the custard makes this bread and butter pudding fit for the holiday season!
The best thing is you can get it all ready the night before and then pop it in the oven while the kids rip into their stockings.
What is bread and butter pudding?
If you are not from the UK, you might be wondering what this dish is. Traditionally bread and butter pudding was made to use up pieces of stale bread.
The bread was first buttered, then baked in a creamy custard with dried fruit. This is an affiliate link.Nutmeg, lemon zest and vanilla extract are often used to flavour this sweet dish.
Over the years it changed what type of bread people use but the principle remained! If you struggle to imagine what it tastes like, my kids describe it as a very indulgent baked French toast.
As I mentioned above, I put my own twist on this classic recipe. I replaced raising with chopped white chocolate. And instead of stale bread, I used brioche.
I skipped buttering the bread slices since brioche is very buttery already although I did butter the baking dish very well.
I also infused my custard with the spices traditionally found in eggnog, making this bread and butter pudding perfect for Christmas morning.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- You can use either small brioche rolls like I used or a whole loaf. If you use a loaf, slice it first, then cut eat slice in half diagonally. Then arrange the triangles with the pointed ends up for a more traditional and attractive look. White bread or sourdough with unsalted butter can be used if needed, but they can never match brioche!
- Feel free to vary the spices used in the custard. I went for eggnog spices but you can also use lemon zest and vanilla instead.
- Raisins, sultanas or currants can be added if you wish.
- It’s important to not scramble the eggs when making the custard. I infuse the cream with the spices first by heating it to almost a boiling point, then mix with the eggs. Very hot cream can cook the eggs. To avoid that, take 1/2 cup/100g of the hot cream and stir into the egg with a whisk to temper the mixture. Then stir in the rest of the cream.
- We want the brioche to be fully saturated in the custard mixture. To achieve that, pour it over, then let everything sit for 5 minutes. Gently press the bread down.
- Although not strictly necessary, I prefer baking my pudding using a bain-marie method. Put your baking dish into a This is an affiliate link.large roasting pan filled with water halfway up and bake in the oven. This ensures a gentler, more even cooking.
- Finally, if you are planning on preparing a day early, just store the unbaked bread and butter pudding in a refrigerator overnight. I actually like it better when it sits overnight because of how the cream mixture soaks into the brioche!
Serving suggestions
Bread and butter pudding is traditionally served as a dessert, served with ice cream or custard. But I actually made this recipe to have something special as we prepared to open presents on Christmas morning. It’s easy to prepare in advance, ready to be thrown in the oven when you wake.
It’s also pretty forgiving and can be served piping hot or room temperature. My family prefers hot, so the to crust is slightly crisp and a lovely golden brown.
Storage and leftovers
Any leftovers can be kept in a refrigerator for 3-4 days, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy it. I store mine in the same ovenproof dish I made it in so it can be easily popped in the oven to be reheated.
More Christmas Breakfast Recipes
- Overnight Breakfast Casserole with Sausage, Chorizo and Eggs
- Breakfast Bagel Sandwich with Smoked Salmon
- Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls (Very Quick)
- Overnight Chocolate Nutella Rolls
White Chocolate Brioche Bread and Butter Pudding
Ingredients
- 350g / 12oz brioche buns or a loaf
- 50g / 1 oz white chocolate, chopped
- 1 egg
- 3 egg yolks
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 500ml / 2 cups single cream/half and half, or whole milk
- 1/4 tsp This is an affiliate link.nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice, a blend of cassia, coriander seed, caraway, nutmeg, ginger, cloves
- 1 tsp This is an affiliate link.vanilla
Instructions
- Cut the brioche into thin slices.
- Chop the white chocolate into small pieces. Line the bottom of a buttered dish with a layer of brioche, sprinkle some chocolate on top. Continue layering the brioche and chocolate until finished.
- Whisk together the egg, egg yolks and sugar. In a saucepan mix single cream/half and half with the spices and vanilla, heat until just simmers. Pour 1/2 cup of hot cream into the egg mixture while whisking the whole time. Add the remaining cream, continue whisking.
- Pour the eggnog custard over the brioche and let stand for 5 minutes, then lightly press the brioche slices into the cream mixture.
- Place the baking dish in a roasting pan and pour boiling water into the pan so it comes halfway up the side of a baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven at 350F/180C for 30-40 minutes until the pudding has risen a bit and the eggnog custard is set. Serve warm with additional cream.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Egg nogs are sold and readily available during Christmas holidays, is it okay to use in the recipe instead of the half and half and there is no need to use the spice blend as it’s already in the egg nog?
Hi Frances, yes you can use ready made eggnog and skip the spices. Sadly it’s not available in the UK!
Also one more thing! Where did you buy your baking dish. Its unique and beautiful!
Lauren
The baking dish was a present, I am not really sure where it’s from. 🙂
Looks delicious! 2 questions
1. Do you think it’ll be fine if I substituted the brioche with croissants? Not sure if the croissant will hold the cream/eggnog
2. Not sure if I’ll be able to find that mixed spice anywhere 🙁 Do you think I can do without it?
Thank you!
Hi Adrian, I wouldn’t use croissants, you want something spongy to soak up the custard and croissants have a very different texture. If you must substitute use French baguette. As far as mixed spice, I think it’s an English thing :-), you can use pumpkin spice mix (essentially the same blend of spices), I wouldn’t omit it because that’s what gives the custard that eggnog taste. Alternatively, you can use eggnog instead of cream. I have to make my own as it’s not available in England. Happy cooking!
I am slightly confused. Is the eggnog supposed to replace the cream? I keep seeing eggnog custard and am not sure what that is.
Thank you,
Lauren
Lauren, the cream custard that is poured over brioche is “eggnog custard”. There is no pre-made eggnog in this recipe but cream mixed with egg yolks and spices is how real eggnog is made. I hope it clarifies things. 🙂
This is definitely my kind of breakfast’
Oh I am so with ya! 🙂
Yum, how delicious! Eggnog in a pudding – what an amazing Christmas dessert!
We are huge eggnog lovers as a family so this dessert only seemed inevitable. 🙂
Eggnog White Chocolate Brioche Pudding? Sounds like my cup of tea!
Looks fabulous and delicious 😀
Thank you. 🙂 I can’t wait for another special morning to indulge again.