Classic Brioche Bread Pudding

Ingredients

6 brioche slices (cut 1-inch thick)

8 large eggs

3/4 cup + 2 T. sugar

4 cups whole milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9×5-inch glass loaf dish.

Arrange the brioche slices on a baking sheet. Place in the oven until lightly toasted, 4 to 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk until blended. Add the sugar and whisk until smooth.

Add the milk, vanilla and salt and whisk until fully incorporated.

Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve.

Place the toasted bread slices in the prepared loaf pan.

Pour the custard evenly over the bread, filling the dish to the top.

Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes for the bread to absorb the custard.

Before baking, top off the dish with more of the custard if the previous addition has been completely absorbed.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil, place in the oven, and bake the pudding for about 1 hour.

To test for doneness, uncover the dish, slip a knife into the center, and push the bread aside. If the custard is still very liquid, re-cover the dish and return the pudding to the oven for another 10 minutes. If only a little liquid remains, the pudding is ready to come out of the oven. The custard will continue to cook after it is removed from the oven and it will set up as it cools.

Let the pudding cool for about 10 minutes before serving.