Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding with Nutella

Name: Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding with Nutella
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: Butter, for greasing; 6 brioche rolls, sliced; 6 tbsp nutella; 5 large eggs; 3 tbsp water; 100g caster sugar; 250ml double cream; 250ml full-fat milk; 50g good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped; 1 handful of raspberries; mint sprigs; vanilla ice cream

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Anyone who knows me knows I am a big fan of bread and butter pudding - it is the epitome of comfort food and has the added bonus of using up leftover bread. Enter my Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding. It's also just as good to try out different versions using all sorts of ‘bread’ - from hot cross buns to rolls (pretty much anything goes!). I recently came across Nigella’s incredible Caramel Croissant Pudding and felt inspired to create my own, more modern, twist on the British classic.

I think you are going to love the result… Imagine soft and buttery brioche rolls, filled with rich and chocolatey nutella, soaked in a glorious custard, then (yes, there is more) sprinkled with dark chocolate chunks that start to melt round the edges to give puddles of molten chocolate. Trust me, this is one special pudding…

Why you will love this Chocolate Stuffed Brioche Pudding recipe:

This Bread and Butter Pudding is the perfect crowd-pleasing dessert when you are entertaining friends and family as it is so quick and simple to make.
Although it looks like you have made a huge effort, it requires less than 20 minutes to put together.
It is super versatile so you can ring the changes with the filling and toppings to suit your own (or your guests’) tastes (see FAQs for suggestions).

a portion of bread and brioche pudding on plate with blue flowers

You will need the following ingredients:

Brioche rolls - soft, sweet and buttery, I love a brioche roll. You could also use sliced brioche instead.

Nutella - there is something about nutella that is truly irresistible to me. Paired it with brioche takes it to whole new heights of deliciousness. You could use a higher quality Gianduja spread which will be absolutely divine.

Caster sugar - I like to use caster sugar, but you could use granulated sugar if that is what you have. Alternatively, for an even deeper caramel flavour, swap for soft light brown sugar.

Double cream - (also known as heavy cream), this helps create a luxuriously creamy custard.

Milk - I recommend using full-fat milk.

Eggs - a key ingredient in the custard. Use free-range eggs if you can. I always choose large ones stamped with the British Lion.

Dark chocolate - the slightly gooey chocolate chunks add an extra layer of indulgence to finish off this pud. Opt for a good quality version with at least 70% cocoa to balance out the sweetness of the brioche and nutella.

Raspberries - adding a handful of plump and juicy raspberries adds a delicious fruity flavour that cuts through the rich chocolate and sweet brioche.

Mint - a few sprigs of fresh mint look beautiful as a garnish for sweet dishes.

Vanilla ice cream - I love a scoop of just-melting vanilla ice cream with this pudding, but you could use other flavours if you prefer. Stracciatella or fruity raspberry ice cream would also be delicious.

Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!

Substitutions and Variations:

Other fillings: try with dark chocolate chunks (it’ll melt in the oven) or jam to make jam sandwiches before soaking in the custard. You could use any chocolate and hazelnut spread you wish in this recipe. A luxury Gianduja spread would take this to new heights of deliciousness. Alternatively, you could use another chocolate and nut spread (like chocolate and almond), lotus biscoff spread or even my pistachio cream.

Other breads: At Christmas, you can swap the bread for panettone, whilst at Easter I love using leftover hot cross buns to make hot cross bun bread and butter pudding. Alternatively, halved leftover croissants would be absolutely delicious too and still keep the indulgent factor. However, if you can’t get hold of either of these, you can use a good-quality soft white bread, but it won’t be quite the same.

Here's how to make delicious Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding:

Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.

ONE: In a medium saucepan, add the water and bring to a simmer. Add the sugar and let it bubble away gently, without stirring, for about 3-5 minutes - or until it turns a lovely caramel colour.

TWO: Reduce the heat and carefully pour in the cream, whisking all the time - it will splutter but keep whisking. Pour in the milk, remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly (you don’t want it to be too hot or it will scramble the eggs when you add them).

THREE: Once cooled slightly, pour the caramel into the beaten eggs and whisk to combine.

FOUR: Pour over the brioche-nutella sandwiches and leave it to settle for 10 minutes.

FIVE: Cover with parchment paper and in that 10 minutes, press down the brioche down every now and then to ensure they are covered in the caramel custard as much as possible.

SIX: Bake for 25-30 minutes at 160°C- or until golden and the custard has set. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped chocolate straight away (you need to be quick so the heat from the pudding melts the chocolate). Leave to sit for 5 minutes.

Cooking Tips:

Making Caramel: It’s really important to not stir the water and sugar whilst it’s melting down to form the caramel. If you stir, this will risk crystalisation which will make the caramel chunky and gritty. You can stir once the milk is added. And make sure you cool the caramel before adding the eggs so you don’t scramble them!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is bread and butter pudding?

Bread and butter pudding is a traditional British pudding that is ideal for using up leftover bread. There are countless versions, but the basic principle involves arranging slices of buttered bread triangles in a dish, sprinkling with dried fruit, pouring over a rich egg custard (often infused with vanilla and spices), then baking until just set.

What is the difference between bread and butter pudding and bread pudding?

That is such a good question and something that confuses many people as the names are often, incorrectly, used interchangeably. Both are classic British pudding, but they have very different textures. Bread pudding is made by mashing stale bread with milk, spices and dried fruit to create a dense and stodgy pudding which is often sliced into small squares and sprinkled with sugar. By contrast, bread and butter pudding is made as described above and has a much softer and creamier texture than bread pudding.

What is brioche?

Brioche is an enriched bread from France. Unlike a plain white bread recipe, brioche contains eggs, butter and more sugar which helps give it its famous soft texture, golden colour and rich, subtly sweet, taste. It is delicious served simply toasted, used for pain perdu (French toast) or in a luxury Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding (like this one!).

More FAQs: serving

What do I serve with this bread and butter brioche pudding?

I recommend serving with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream - or any flavour of your choice. Stracciatella (a bit like chocolate chip) or fruity raspberry would also be delicious. If you are a real chocoholic, a rich chocolate ice cream would complement the chocolate in the nutella and the slightly gooey chocolate chunks on top.

Is this bread and butter brioche pudding suitable for vegetarians?

Yes! This is a delicious pudding for vegetarian friends and family.

Is this bread and butter brioche pudding suitable for vegans?

Unfortunately not. Although you can get vegan brioche and vegan alternatives to milk and cream, this recipe also uses eggs so it wouldn’t be suitable for vegans.

a portion of bread and brioche pudding on plate with blue flowers - close up

Other recipes you might enjoy:

I have so many baking recipes on the website and I love to experiment. I am obsessed with my Melt in the Middle Chocolate Pudding, it’s so simple because you make the batter then pour over a watery mixture that may seem weird but as it cooks, the cake bakes and it turns into a sauce on top. It’s divine. Try this Peach Cobbler with Cake Mix to use up any stone fruits in a simple way. It uses boxed cake mix to make the topping. IF you love brioche recipes, this French Toast with Pistachio Cream is so delicious. Really luxurious. Or make Pistachio Croissants with Homemade Pistachio Cream

Made this recipe and loved it?

I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!