Ten cups of day-old brioche or challah, cubed, in a well-buttered slow cooker under a custard of three cups of eggnog, four eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and warm spice.
Fifteen minutes of standing so the bread drinks, then two and a half to three hours on LOW, then ten minutes uncovered before serving.
Why This Recipe Works
- Eggnog is already a custard base — eggs, cream and sugar with nutmeg. Building on it means three cups of liquid arrive pre-seasoned, and the four whole eggs are there to give it the setting power a poured drink does not have.
- Brioche or challah rather than a plain white loaf. Both are enriched with egg and butter, so they hold their structure when saturated instead of dissolving into paste.
- A slow cooker is a gentler custard oven than an oven is. Low, moist heat sets eggs without the skin and the split edges a hot dry oven gives a pudding this wet.
- Only a third of a cup of added sugar. Eggnog is sweet on its own, and this is a dessert that would be cloying if it were sweetened as though the custard started plain.
- Half a cup of whole milk alongside the eggnog. It thins three cups of a fairly thick drink just enough to move down through ten cups of cubes rather than sitting on the surface.
Four Points Where This Goes Wrong
A slow-cooker bread pudding fails in a small number of specific ways, and every one of them is a decision made before the lid goes on. These are the four the method is quietly guarding against.
Before you cube anything
The bread is a day old and dry to the touch.
Ten cups of stale cubes drink three cups of eggnog. Fresh bread cannot, and the surplus pools underneath and stays liquid.
Step 1, before the bread goes in
The inside of the cooker is buttered, sides as well as base.
Two tablespoons of softened butter is listed for the cooker specifically. An egg custard grips ceramic hard, and the sides are where it grips first.
Step 5
The full fifteen minutes of standing has passed.
This is the absorption window. Cook it immediately and the outside of each cube sets while the middle is still dry.
Step 6
The centre is set with no liquid custard remaining.
The edges will be firm long before the middle is. Two and a half to three hours is a range because cookers differ, and the centre is the only reliable test.
Ingredient Notes
- Day-old brioche or challah
- Ten cups of inch cubes. Both are enriched breads; a lean sourdough or baguette gives a chewier, less tender pudding and takes up custard more slowly.
- Eggnog
- Three cups, the main liquid. Full dairy eggnog behaves as written — the lighter and non-dairy versions carry less fat and set noticeably softer.
- Large eggs
- Four, whole. They are the difference between a bread pudding and a bowl of soaked bread; eggnog alone will not set in three hours.
- Unsalted butter, softened, for the cooker
- Two tablespoons, and the line says what they are for. Softened rather than melted so it can be spread up the sides where custard sticks hardest.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg
- A teaspoon and a half teaspoon. Eggnog usually carries nutmeg already, so the half teaspoon is reinforcement rather than the only source.
How to Make It
Butter the cooker
Butter the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker.
Add the bread
Add the bread cubes to the cooker.
Whisk the custard
Whisk together eggnog, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Pour and press
Pour the custard evenly over the bread and gently press the bread down so it absorbs the liquid.
Let it stand
Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.
Cook on LOW
Cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the center is set and no liquid custard remains.
Rest uncovered
Turn off the slow cooker, uncover and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Success Tips
- Cube the bread the day before and leave it uncovered overnight.
- Butter the sides of the crock as thoroughly as the base.
- Press the cubes down with the flat of your hand rather than stirring them.
- Use the full fifteen minutes of standing time even if the bread looks soaked.
- Start checking the centre at two and a half hours rather than at three.
Serving Ideas
Warm, with a spoonful of cream or a pour of the custard sauce it is often served with. A holiday dessert that holds well on a buffet, since the cooker keeps it warm without drying it.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It firms considerably when cold and slices cleanly straight from the fridge.
Freeze
Freeze cooled portions for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge; the texture is slightly softer but the custard holds.
Reheat
Reheat covered at 325°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or in the microwave in short bursts. Covered is what keeps the top from drying to a crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
The middle was still liquid at three hours.
Usually fresh bread rather than day-old, which cannot absorb its share of the custard. Cookers also vary — if the centre is not set, give it more time with the lid on and check again.
Can I use fresh bread if I dry it out first?
Yes. Cube it and spread it on a tray in a low oven until it is dry to the touch, then let it cool. That gets you to the same place as leaving it overnight.
Can I use a non-dairy eggnog?
You can, but expect a softer set. The four eggs still do their work; what you lose is the fat that makes the custard rich and firm.
Can I bake this in the oven?
This recipe is written for a slow cooker on LOW, and the gentle moist heat is what sets the custard without a skin. An oven version is a different recipe with different timing.
