Custard Bread Pudding, Gluten Free

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry the bread thoroughly

   Heat the oven to 300°F with a rack in the center. Spread the gluten-free bread cubes on a large sheet pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes, stirring twice. Gluten-free loaves hold more moisture in the crumb than wheat bread, so go by feel rather than the clock: pinch a cube from the middle of the pan and it should be dry and crisp right through, with no damp, gummy core. Any cube that still feels soft inside will turn pasty in the custard. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Butter the dish

   Rub the softened butter generously over the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Tip in the cooled bread cubes and scatter the raisins among them, tucking most of the fruit down between the cubes so it doesn't scorch on top.

3. 3

   Whisk the custard

   In a large bowl, whisk the whole eggs and yolks with both sugars until smooth and slightly lightened. Whisk in the milk, cream, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Keep whisking until you see no streaks of egg white clinging to the side of the bowl; unmixed white turns rubbery in the oven.

4. 4

   Soak longer

   Pour the custard evenly over the bread and press the cubes down firmly with a flat spatula. Let it soak for 45 minutes at room temperature, pressing every 15 minutes. Gluten-free bread drinks custard more slowly, and the starches need the extra time to fully hydrate; cut it short and you'll get dry pockets in the finished pudding. The cubes should look plump and hold together softly when pressed, with almost no loose liquid left on the surface.

5. 5

   Top and heat the oven

   While the bread soaks, heat the oven to 350°F. Just before baking, press the top layer down one last time so every cube has a damp surface, then sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the whole thing.

6. 6

   Bake

   Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake 25 minutes, then uncover and bake another 25 to 35 minutes. The early cover keeps the exposed gluten-free cubes from drying into hard nubs before the center sets. It's ready when the top is deep golden and crisp, the center doesn't ripple when you nudge the dish, and a thermometer in the middle reads 170 to 175°F.

7. 7

   Rest before serving

   Rest on a wire rack for a full 30 minutes. Gluten-free puddings set up noticeably more as they cool and can seem loose straight from the oven, so give it the extra time before you judge the texture or cut into it. Serve warm.

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Baker's Tips

• 1.

  Enriched breads like challah, brioche, and leftover panettone give the plushest result. A sturdy French loaf works too, and makes a chewier, more rustic pudding.

• 2.

  If your bread is genuinely stale and rock-hard, you can skip the oven-drying and go straight to soaking, but give it 45 minutes instead of 30.

• 3.

  For an especially silky, evenly cooked center, set the dish in a roasting pan and pour hot water halfway up the sides. It adds about 15 minutes to the bake and gives up some of the crisp top in exchange.

• 4.

  Assemble it the night before: cover the soaked, unbaked pudding and refrigerate, then sprinkle the turbinado and bake straight from cold, adding 5 to 10 minutes.

• 5.

  A quick sauce goes a long way. Simmer 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1/4 cup brown sugar and a splash of bourbon for 3 minutes, then pour it over each warm serving.

• 6.

  Pull it at 170°F, not later. Overbaked custard weeps liquid as it cools and the texture turns grainy.