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This Lemon Bread Pudding with Lemon Brandy Sauce is the perfect light dessert for Spring! Rich, flavorful lemon custard, fresh raspberries brioche bread and a crunchy, sweet lemon topping!
Lemon is one of those flavors that will reach in, grab your heart and never let it go! I love it so much that I even pair it with chocolate in my Lemon Surprise Cupcakes.
The lemon beast must be tamed with…you guessed it…lemon.
And not just a squeeze of lemon in your water. Come on guys!
There must be sugar with that lemon. {cough, cough} Lots of SUGAR!
And maybe a few carbs. Just sayin’…
Speaking of carbs…Have I told you about the bread rack at school? NO?!?!
Besides learning all about lemon raspberry bread pudding, I need you to prepare to be really jealous.
Lemon buttery goodness.
I’ll break it down for you here: there is a bread class at ICC; their classroom is right next to ours, so impossibly delicious, yeasty bread smells emanate from it all day long; then at 3:00 they put out a rack of all the bread they made but didn’t want to take home (I know what is wrong with them?!!?); and then you can grab a loaf or two or three.
Last week I grabbed the most perfect brioche loaf in all its buttery, eggy goodness. It was still warm! But since I have self-control (yes, I found her again), I didn’t tear into it immediately like the savage beast I wanted to be.
No, no. I waited.
I made this Lemon Raspberry Bread Pudding with this little buttery loaf of perfection.
Good things come to those who wait. Or at least that’s what I hear…
But I suggest that you do not wait to make this bread pudding because good things also come to those who bake with copious amounts of lemon and sugar. #fact
I learned that in school. You’re welcome.
I’ve told you before in this pumpkin bread pudding and in my easy bread pudding recipe, but I’ll tell you again because I love you: don’t skip my sugared topping!!! The secret to a spectacular bread pudding is all in the crunchy, sugary topping.
Some notes on lemon raspberry bread pudding:
- You can freeze the several day old bread until you are ready to make pudding or until you have enough. I prefer to cut it up into cubes prior to freezing. Then I just use the cubes frozen. With light airy bread like brioche or challah, this works well. If you are using a more dense, hearty bread (umm, why?) then you will want to thaw them and dry them out a bit in the oven first.
- When using zest, mix it with the granulated sugar first. This breaks up the pieces of zest, so no one ends up with a bite full of lemon zest and it also extracts and absorbs the flavorful oils, which will make your dish more flavorful!
- If your liquid will not initially fit, let the bread sit and absorb and then pour in some more of the cream mixture. Good things take time and bread (especially if it is still partially frozen) will take a little time to absorb everything it can. Patience, grasshopper.
- Bake your bread pudding in a shallow dish no higher than 2 inches. If you bake it in a deep dish, like I did here, you will have a soufflé and it will not bake evenly. The center will need double the time the outsides need. No bueno. [I am vain and I wanted to photograph my pudding in a white dish instead of the more shallow red one…]
If you tried this recipe and loved it please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you; your comments make my day!
Lemon Raspberry Bread Pudding with Lemon Brandy Sauce
Ingredients
For the Pudding:
- 7 cups Brioche bread cut into ¾ inch cubes
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 ½ lemons zested
- 2 cup cream
- 1 cup milk
- 3 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup raspberries
For the Topping:
- 1 cup bread cut into ½ inch cubes (some can be slightly smaller)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ lemon zested
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons butter melted but not hot
For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice from ½ lemon
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brandy
Lemon Whipped Cream (optional)
Instructions
Make the Bread Pudding:
- Add the lemon zest and sugar to a large bowl and toss with your fingers to break up all the zest. Let sit while you gather your other ingredients. You can also mix it 30 minutes ahead of time if you remember. The longer it sits, the more flavorful your custard will be.
- Add the half and half, cream and salt and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the eggs until completely incorporated.
- Layer the bread and raspberries in a 1.5 quart baking dish, and pour the custard mixture over top. You can do this in layers to evenly distribute the lemon zest throughout the bread. I poured it over and then gently lifted the bread and moved it to distribute the zest.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes. [At this point you can stop and refrigerate the pudding overnight but I don’t like to wait much longer because the filling will become mushy and the bread pieces indistinct.]
- Preheat oven to 325°.
- Prepare your topping while your pudding rests: mix the sugar and the zest together and toss with your fingers to break up the zest. Melt butter, squeeze half a lemon and then add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and butter to the sugar mixture; mix to combine. Add the bread cubes and toss until the bread is coated. Distribute on top of the pudding, pressing down slightly so that the larger pieces are partially submerged.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the custard is set and gives slightly when pressed. It should feel like jello. I also use a toothpick to test the center to make sure it is not still liquid. It will never come out clean like a cake. The cooking time will vary greatly depending on the type and size of your dish. Just watch it.
- Let cool on a wire rack at least 30 minutes prior to serving.
- You can serve it warm, room temperature or cold. I prefer it warm or room temperature – after refrigeration, the topping will begin to soften and lose some of its charm.
- Serve with lemon whipped cream, a generous drizzle of brandy lemon sauce, and additional fresh raspberries.
Brandy Lemon Sauce:
- Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat gently, stirring constantly until sugar has dissolved and the sauce is warm.
I’m absolutely smitten with the perfect balance of tanginess and sweetness in this lemon-raspberry bread pudding. Its robust flavors are simply irresistible, making it an instant favorite in my household. My kids can’t get enough of it. This recipe is a must-try!
Hi Janice! An instant favorite in your household is high praise, thank you for commenting and I’m very happy you enjoyed!
I love the lemon raspberry bread pudding! It’s so delicious. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet treat.
Hi Jane! Thank you for commenting and recommending this recipe to other folks!
Not only does this bread pudding have a perfect texture (not mushy, not dry – just right), I am wild about that brandy sauce! I am going to find more excuses to make it. So delicious!
Hi Genevieve! I do hope you find many more excuses! Thank you for commenting 🙂
This was really delicious and easy to make. I did not use brandy in the sauce, I used my non alcoholic whiskey spirit instead. Will make again!
Hi Elizabeth! Thank you so much for reporting back with that substitution, I’m so happy it worked out perfectly!