Baileys Bread and Butter Pudding is a sumptuous celebratory twist on a classic easy to make British pudding. I’ve added fabulous, fragrant vanilla and decadent chocolate along with the Irish cream liqueur, for a most indulgent pudding.
Baileys bread and butter pudding
Is there anything better than a bread and butter pud? Well, maybe. Maybe it’s a bread and butter pudding with Baileys Irish cream and chocolate in the mix!
See also
- Easy panettone bread and butter pudding is a great way to use up festive leftovers.
- Hot cross bun bread and butter pudding is a deliciously spiced variation on the classic theme.
- Enjoy a touch of luxury with this indulgent caramel croissant bread and butter pudding
- Read all my top tips for baking brioche.
Bread and butter pudding is a wonderful way to use up too many eggs or too much bread, but this time I haven’t used bread. I’ve made this pudding with brioche for a really luxurious treat. It’s light and fluffy and gives the pudding a great texture.
Adding Baileys Irish cream (or any other whisky cream liqueur) makes for a really indulgent bread and butter pudding but I have gone further still and swapped the traditional sultanas for chocolate. This is not your everyday bread and butter pudding. It’s a celebratory one.
Why make Baileys bread and butter pudding
- This is a very easy recipe with barely any prep!
- Delicious twist on a classic
- Indulgent enough for a party, easy enough to feed a crowd
- Adaptable – you can adjust the flavours.
- Uses everyday ingredients from your regular supermarket.
Baileys bread and butter pudding ingredients
- Brioche – About 5 generous slices or about 200 g. I like to buy an unsliced all-butter brioche loaf because I find the sliced ones are sliced too thin for this recipe. A standard loaf in my local supermarket is 400 g, so I can freeze half for another pudding.
- Baileys Irish cream – or any whisky cream liqueur
- Butter – salted or unsalted
- Cream – double/heavy cream
- Milk – full, semi or skimmed, whatever you have
- Eggs – The weight doesn’t matter that much but if you use small eggs you might need an extra one.
- Vanilla extract – Always use a good vanilla extract for the best flavour. Anything labelled ‘essence’ tends to be artificial. You can also use Vanilla Bean Paste.
- Sugar – I use golden caster sugar most of the time for baking but you can use any sugar here. If you don’t like your puddings to be too sweet, leave it out. There is plenty of sweetness in the other ingredients.
- Chocolate chips (optional) – I have used a mix of dark and milk chocolate, but you can use any that you have. Chop up a bar if you don’t have the chips. You could also add raisins.
How to make Baileys bread and butter pudding – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Preheat the oven to 180°C / 170°C fan / Gas 4 / 350°F. Then cut the brioche into 2.5 cm / 1″ cubes.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
You can use slices, but with the texture of brioche, I find cubes easier.
Brioche is very light and airy, so try not to squash it when you cut it. A good, sharp, serrated bread knife is the best thing to use.
Step Two – Melt the butter and then use a pastry brush to butter a deep baking dish. Choose a dish that is about 6″ x 8″ (15 x 20 cm). Then layer the cubes of brioche in the dish.
Step Three – Put the Baileys, cream, milk, vanilla extract, eggs and sugar into a jug. Whisk lightly with a fork to break up the eggs and combine the ingredients.
Don’t feel that this has to be perfectly combined. You don’t need to work too hard at it.
Step Four – Pour the custard mixture over the brioche, taking care to drizzle it evenly.
Lightly press the cubes into the liquid with a fork or spoon, so they absorb the custard mix. Do this gently so that they bounce back, rather than flattening them. Alternatively leave the pudding to stand for 20 – 30 minutes so the brioche absorbs the custard mix.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the brioche. Then drizzle the remaining melted butter over any of the brioche that is not covered in the custard mix.
Now put the dish in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. When your Baileys bread and butter pudding is ready, it will be puffed up, fluffy and golden, with the custard set. If necessary, return to the oven for a few more minutes to get it just right.
Step Five – Allow your pudding to cool a little before you serve. Dust lightly with icing sugar for a final flourish.
Serving suggestion
Serve with a jug of cream, and garnish with fresh berries for the ultimate treat.
A warm bread and butter pudding is also delicious with homemade ice cream – my Baileys ice cream would be the perfect match or opt for simple vanilla ice cream.
Variations
- Make your Baileys bread and butter pudding in individual dishes for a more formal party.
- Add a little orange zest to the custard mixture.
- Experiment with other cream liqueurs, or seasonal flavours. The classic whisky cream liqueur Columba Cream has a touch of honey and modern Irish cream Coole Swan includes white chocolate. If you don’t like whisk(e)y, consider Creme de Grand Marnier for a twist of orange.
Storage
For best results enjoy freshly baked and still warm. Your Irish cream bread and butter pudding will still be good the next day but the texture will never be quite the same.
Fridge – Put leftovers into airtight boxes and store in the fridge for 2 days. You can enjoy these cold or reheat in the microwave.
Freezer – Pack into air tight boxes and freeze for up to two months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave.
Hints and tips
- If you want to prepare your Baileys bread and butter pudding ahead of time, you can make everything to stage 3. Then cover the baking dish and leave the custard mix in the fridge until you are ready to bake. You can also leave the whole pudding for an hour in the fridge before baking, so the brioche soaks up the cream mixture.
- If you buy a 400 g loaf, you can freeze half for another brioche pudding.
- You may be used to pouring more custard over a bread and butter pudding, but with the richness of these ingredients, I don’t think you want too much. You don’t want it to be stodgy. I like the way you get a different texture on the top for contrast. If you like a lot more custard, you can increase those ingredients by 50%, using 3 eggs.
- Serve it fresh from the oven. It really is at its best that way.
FAQS
Brioche is an enriched bread from France, made with eggs instead of water, and a lot of butter. A traditional recipe will add butter of half the weight of flour. This gives a light, fluffy but very rich loaf.
You can, but it is absolutely not necessary. A water bath or bain marie will give a softer more, eggy texture. I don’t think I know anyone who does this for a bread and butter pudding at home. I prefer it without, and it’s much easier just to bake in the traditional way.
It’s better cooked just before you serve, but you can prepare to Step 3 and then finish it off at the last minute. There’s more about this in the Hints and tips section.
No. Baileys is probably the most widely available, but you can use your favourite cream liqueur.
More delicious desserts
- Strawberry syllabub with Pimms – a simple but indulgent dessert
- Winter spiced orange pavlova – elegant, effortless and delicious
- Blackcurrant and apple steamed pudding – deliciously warming and homely
Baileys Bread and Butter Pudding
Ingredients
- 200 g brioche
- 50 g butter
- 120 ml (0.5 cups) Baileys Irish cream (or similar cream liqueur)
- 120 ml (0.5 cups) cream
- 120 ml (0.5 cups) milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (or tsp vanilla bean paste)
- 2 eggs (medium/large)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp chocolate chips (optional)
- 2 tsp icing sugar (optional, to dust before serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 170°C fan / Gas 4 / 350°F. Then cut the brioche into 2.5 cm/ 1" cubes.200 g brioche
- Melt the butter and use a pastry brush to butter a deep baking dish. Choose a dish that is about 6" x 8". Then arrange the cubes of brioche in the dish.50 g butter
- Put the Irish cream, cream, milk, vanilla extract, eggs and sugar in a jug. Whisk lightly with a fork to break up the eggs and combine the ingredients. You don't need to be too thorough.120 ml cream, 120 ml milk, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp sugar, 120 ml Baileys Irish cream
- Pour the custard mixture over the brioche. Take care to drizzle it evenly over the cubes.
- Press the cubes into the liquid lightly so they absorb the custard mix. Do this as gently as possible. Don't squash them!
- Scatter the chocolate chips over the brioche. Then drizzle the remaining melted butter over any of the brioche that is not submerged in the custard.2 tbsp chocolate chips
- Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. When the pudding is ready, it will be fluffy and golden, with the custard set.
- Allow your bread and butter pudding to cool a little before you serve. Dust it lightly with icing sugar for a final flourish.2 tsp icing sugar
Notes
Storage
For best results enjoy freshly baked and still warm. Your Irish cream bread and butter pudding will still be good the next day but the texture will never be quite the same. Fridge – Pack can be leftovers into airtight boxes and store in the fridge for 2 days. You can enjoy these cold or reheat in the microwave. Freezer – Pack into air tight boxes and freeze for up to two months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave.Hints and tips
- If you want to prepare your Baileys bread and butter pudding ahead of time, you can assemble everything to stage 3. Then cover the baking dish and leave the custard mix in the fridge until you are ready to bake. You can also leave the assembled pudding for an hour in the fridge before baking, so the brioche soaks up the cream mixture.
- If you buy a 400 g loaf, you can freeze half for another brioche pudding.
- You may be used to pouring more custard over a bread and butter pudding, but with the richness of these ingredients, I don’t think you want too much. You don’t want it to be stodgy. I like the way you get a different texture on the top for contrast. If you like a lot more custard, you can increase those ingredients by 50 %, using 3 eggs.
- Serve it fresh from the oven. It really is at its best that way.
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