Pudim de Pão

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •20 cm ring mold or 9 by 5 inch loaf pan
• •Small heavy saucepan for caramel
• •Blender
• •Large baking dish for the water bath
• •Kettle or pot for hot water

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Put a kettle or pot of water on to boil, because the pudding will bake in a banho-maria, a water bath. Gentle heat matters here. Eggs set slowly and smoothly when heat comes from water around the pan, instead of turning tough at the edges while the middle is still loose.

2. 2

   Make the caramel

   Put 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small pan over medium heat. Swirl the pan gently, don't stir with a spoon, and cook until the syrup turns deep amber, like guaraná in a glass, about 8 to 12 minutes. Take it off the heat the second it smells toasty, not burnt. Pale caramel tastes only sweet; dark amber gives the pudding its little bitter edge.

3. 3

   Coat the pan

   Pour the hot caramel into a 20 cm ring mold or loaf pan and tilt the pan carefully so the caramel coats the bottom and a little up the sides. It will harden fast. That's fine. In the oven it melts again and becomes the glossy sauce that runs over the pudding when you unmold it.

4. 4

   Soak the bread

   Put the torn bread in a bowl and pour the milk over it. Press the pieces down with a spoon and let them sit for 10 minutes, until the bread feels heavy and soft all the way through. Dry bread is useful because it drinks the milk instead of fighting it. Fresh bread can turn gummy, and then you blame yourself instead of the loaf.

5. 5

   Blend the custard

   Add the soaked bread and milk to a blender with the eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla, cinnamon if using, and salt. Blend until smooth, about 30 to 45 seconds. Stop when the mixture looks creamy and pourable, with no dry bread pieces hiding at the bottom. The eggs are what make it set, and blending spreads them evenly so every slice holds together.

6. 6

   Fill the mold

   If using raisins, scatter them into the caramel-coated pan. Pour the custard over the caramel slowly. Tap the pan once or twice on the counter to bring up big air bubbles, because big bubbles make holes in the slice. A few small ones are normal. This is pudding, not a laboratory.

7. 7

   Bake gently

   Set the mold inside a larger baking dish. Pour hot water into the larger dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the mold. Bake for 55 to 70 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still gives a small wobble when you nudge the pan. A knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean. Pull it while it still trembles a little, because it firms as it cools.

8. 8

   Cool and chill

   Lift the mold out of the water bath and let it cool on the counter for 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Don't rush this part. Warm pudding breaks when unmolded, and cold pudding slices cleanly because the eggs have fully set.

9. 9

   Unmold and serve

   Run a thin knife around the edge of the chilled pudding. Set the bottom of the mold in a bowl of warm water for 30 seconds to loosen the caramel, then place a plate on top and flip with confidence. Listen for the soft drop. If some caramel stays in the pan, warm the pan with a splash of water and pour it over the top. Nothing wasted, not even the sauce.

Chef Tips

• •Use stale bread with a plain crumb: pão francês, sandwich bread, or a simple white loaf. Very rich or strongly flavored bread takes over the pudding, and this recipe is about saving bread, not showing off.
• •The honest shortcut is blending the custard instead of mashing by hand. It makes a smoother pudding and saves time. The cost is that you lose the rustic little bread texture, so choose what kind of pudding you want.
• •Don't use pudding powder here. The bread and eggs already know how to do the job. A packet gives you sweetness and perfume, not comida de verdade.
• •Caramel goes from perfect to burnt quickly. Stay at the stove once it starts turning gold. If it burns black and smells harsh, throw it out and start again. Sugar is cheaper than a ruined dessert.
• •This is better made ahead. Overnight in the fridge gives the caramel time to loosen and the pudding time to settle into clean slices.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the pudding at least 4 hours before serving so it can chill fully.
• •For the cleanest slices and best caramel, bake it the day before and refrigerate overnight.
• •Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Do not freeze it, because the custard turns watery when thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 180g)