This is the Pudin de pan recipe (Dominican bread pudding) you've been looking for if you like yours spiced, chewy, moist, aromatic, and flavorful. It's like no bread pudding I have tasted elsewhere, and one of my favorite Dominican desserts. Bonus point: It's easy to make.
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- Last reviewed . Published Jan 3, 2011Why we ❤️ it
We Dominicans did not come up with the idea of bread pudding (pudín de pan or budín de pan). It seems to be a near-universal dish, but like everything in our cuisine, we gave it our touch and added a ton of flavor.
And we did that by adding spices, lots of them. In case you haven't noticed, we love our spices.
Pudín or budín?
Budin de pan and pudin de pan are Spanish names for bread pudding. Not all budin de pan, pudin de pan, or bread puddings are identical, but the concept is similar in all cases.
Dominicans use the word pudín to mean a type of cake, not what the English world knows as pudding (we'd call that a natilla).
Ingredients and pudín de pan.
Serving suggestions
Pudín de pan can be served as dessert after a meal, but I love it with a cup of Dominican coffee, or with tea, like Té de jengibre.
Top tips
- Bread type: Using different types of bread will produce bread puddings with different flavors and textures. I prefer French bread or Pan de agua, but any plain bread will do.
- Caramel layer: Some recipes call for a layer of caramel and produce a very moist bread flan with a caramel sauce. I have a different preference, which adds extra time and complexity to the recipe. Instead, I coat the bottom of the pan with butter and brown sugar. The result is a caramelized coating.
If you wish to try to make it with caramel, you can follow the instructions in our flan recipe. - Mold: I love making my bread pudding in a bundt pan, but you can also use a loaf pan or baking dish. If you use a bundt pan, make sure to coat the sides of the pan so it releases without breaking.
- Storing: Keep bread pudding in a lidded container, or covered in plastic film in the fridge. If you are not going to eat it all at once, return the leftovers to the fridge again before it reaches room temperature.
- Shelf life: Kept chilled and covered in the fridge at all times, you can enjoy leftover bread pudding for up to a week.
About our recipe
With a great combination of spices (how can you go wrong with ginger?) and a soft chewy texture, this is going to please everybody around the table. And since we don't have an "official" Christmas dessert I formally propose we adopt this gem of a dish for that purpose.
In bread pudding, the combination of spices that is used varies from home to home, but in my family recipe, we go pedal to the metal: cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. And if I feel a little more adventurous, even a pinch of powdered allspice berries. You can add a pinch of nutmeg, too, if you wish.
This spiced bread pudding is a great way to use leftover day-old bread.
Who's with me?
Video
Recipe
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Pudin de Pan [Recipe + Video] Dominican Spiced Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 2½ cup evaporated milk, or whole milk
- 2 egg (large)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder, or grated ginger root
- ½ teaspoon clove powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 cup day-old bread, (5 oz [142 gr]), cut into small cubes
- ½ cup raisins, and/or sultanas, whichever you have
- ⅓ cup salted butter, room-temperature or melted butter
For greasing pan
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, room-temperature or melted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar, for dusting pan
Instructions
1. Mix the eggs
- Add the eggs to half a cup of milk (you will use the rest of the milk later). Mix well, and strain to remove undissolved egg parts. Set aside.
2. Cook the bread
- In a pot, mix the remaining milk with vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and sugar. Heat this mixture over low heat, and when it breaks the boil add the bread and raisins. Stir until all the bread has soaked in the milk mixture. Add the butter and stir until it melts and mixes completely.Remove from heat.
3. Mix bread and eggs
- Add the bread to the milk and egg mixture you had set aside and stir quickly until well combined. Set aside while you prepare the pan.
4. Prepare the baking pan
- Grease a 6-cup baking pan with abundant butter (I used a bundt pan). Sprinkle with sugar until evenly coated, and most is left on the bottom. Pour the bread mixture into the baking pan, taking care not to disturb the sugar coat.Preheat the oven at 400°F [200°C].
5. Bake
- Bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.
6. Remove from mold
- Once you remove the pudding from the oven, let it cool down to room temperature. Carefully release the sides from the mold with a toothpick or small knife. Put a plate or tray on the mold, and turn it over.
7. Serve
- Some people prefer it a bit cold (chill in the fridge), although I prefer it at room temperature.
Cook's Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More cakes recipes
If you're looking for Dominican cake recipes to celebrate or simply to serve with your cafecito, fear not, we have them here.
Start with the unique Dominican arepa, our dense cornmeal cake, or with Pan de maíz, to stay within the corn theme. Don't miss the renowned Dominican bizcocho, a cake for special occasions, Dulce de coco horneado for the coconut lovers, Pan de batata, our spiced sweet potato cake, and Pudín de yuca, a lovely cassava cake.