Does Bread Pudding Need To Be Refrigerated?

“Does bread pudding need to be refrigerated” is a difficult question for many cooks. Because this dish contains milk, eggs, cheese, and butter, most will question how long will it last and does it need to be kept cold?

If you have asked yourself what is the best bread pudding storage method, I can help!

What Is Bread Pudding?

Firstly, let’s take a look at the definition of bread pudding that makes you wonder, “should you refrigerate bread pudding” or not!

People define food as a bread-based dish. It means the main and basic ingredient is bread.

In addition, the famous recipe of the dish lies in the mixture of eggs and butter together with the base. People will add other elements to get the salty or sweet flavor, depending on the taste.

If it is a sweet dessert, milk, sugar, cinnamon, or even nuts and vanilla are added. Conversely, meat (like sausage, bacon, ham, salami, etc.), cheese, vegetables, sauces, herbs will be poured into.

The dish has many variants as well. It is all up to personal preference. As you keep the crucial ingredients and soften the hard bread, it is still bread pudding!

Does Bread Pudding Need To Be Refrigerated?

Yes. Bread pudding needs to be refrigerated.

Cheese, butter, and milk in the dish must be stored properly to avoid bacteria breaking into it. They are dairy products that cannot stay at normal temperature after opening or mix with other elements.

Therefore, you have to refrigerate bread pudding to make sure it is safe to eat later, and bread pudding consistency is guaranteed.

Moreover, sending it to a colder temperature compared to the room environment can preserve the taste, too, as the bacteria can develop quickly in the so-called danger zone. To keep it fresh, a refrigerator is your ideal choice.

Some people may dispute that we don’t need to put the sweet dish in the cold. The reason is the sweet pudding – it is already a cold dish.

However, it is not correct. The custard sauce bread pudding is egg-based, which is certainly not friendly with bacteria around your room for a long time.

Placing the dish in the refrigerator will also ensure moisture level. Therefore, the food’s structure is preserved.

How Long Does Pudding Bread Last?

Storage conditions influence the lifespan of the dish. If you buy it from a supermarket or specialized store, it can live up to 2 months in a dry and cool environment.

With a refrigerator, the leftover bread pudding type will have a longer shelf-life. It can survive a maximum of 5 days in general.

Regarding form, sliced one is about four days while the loaves stay in good condition longer, up to 2 weeks when you put it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

So, how long does bread pudding last in the fridge? With colder conditions, it can hold up to 30 days.

How To Preserve Bread Pudding?

Now, how to store bread pudding? There are two methods to keep it last longer.

Refrigerator

Storing bread pudding is a work of art and patience. Here is the way it works in the refrigerator.

The first step you need to do is prepare a container for it. It can be an airtight container, freezer bag, or sealed container.

Before putting it in, you should wrap it with plastic wrap (cling film) or aluminum foil to reduce air contact surface and store moisture levels. After that, you are good to go; let it stay in the refrigerator.

There are two other things you should keep in mind.

Please note that if you bake it, don’t forget to let it cool down before preserving. You need to get rid of the condensation situation before storing. Anything put in the refrigerator should be cool, not hot!

Besides, if you can, preserve the sauce (custard) and the bread separately.

There is nothing wrong with pouring the sauce over, but it ensures that you don’t have to enjoy a bit of soggy bread when heating later. So, wait until eating to water sauce into it.

If there is leftover, wrap it and place it in a compact container, and it is still fine! However, remember to check the smell and taste before eating.

Freezer 

So, now you know the answer to the question: can you freeze bread pudding? But how? Here is the way!

Step 1: Let the dish cool before executing the following steps. Next, you cut the bread into small pieces to freeze faster.

Step 2: Wrap them with a cling film and put them in a sealed or airtight container to store the flavor longer. The step is also a shield to avoid freezer burn for your food.

Step 3: Finally, put them all in the fridge. Don’t forget to add a label with a date for reference information later.

For a sweet treat, a topping like ice cream or whipped cream should be added before you eat. If you already put these toppings on and cannot store them separately, it is not ideal for freezing.

For the custard, it’s fine. Still, you may have to brave yourself when you are confronted with a wet and a little bit soggy mixture in the coming days.

Otherwise, the best time to add the topping is when you start to eat it.

How To Reheat Bread Pudding?

There are two most popular ways to rewarm leftover bread pudding or the fresh one which you store in the refrigerator.

The oven is the best way to reheat bread pudding for the whole cake.

The microwave works well for small portions.

Oven 

With frozen bread pudding, the priority is defrosting it by moving it to the refrigerator compartment. Let it stay overnight there, and it will automatically thaw. After that, you can start the reheating process.

Start your oven and preheat it to 350 °F (about 177 °C).

Please take out the cling film. If you don’t use aluminum foil, wrap it with one aluminum foil. The foil here is for the safety of the moisture level of the dish.

You can begin baking it for about 6 to 10 mins (adjust the timing for the size of the food if needed).

It is all up to the size of the dish, so please be smart in covering the foil, so you can open it up and check for the warmth.

To have a crispy top, take out the foil for about 3 mins in the last moment, let the dish naked inside.

Microwave

Step 1: Place the dish in a container that is safe for the microwave, for example, a microwave-safe dish. Then, you open the microwave and put it inside.

Don’t forget to add a small cup (the type that endures well in the home appliance) of water in it.

Step 2: You put your eyes on the microwave setting. Choose the low power and set the time in 30 seconds, and you can start the reheat.

The low power is to control the dry speed of the top layer. If you have a microwave-safe container that can cover almost the entire food with a small hole on it, you should use it.

It has the same effect as wrapping the foil in the oven.

Below is the bread pudding recipe and also a delicious version of the sweet dish.

Ingredients:

• Egg : 3.
• Milk: 500 grams.
• Whipping cream: 100 grams.
• White sugar or Granulated sugar: 35 grams to 50 grams depending on whether you have a sweet tooth or not.
• Vanilla extract or vanilla essence: 2 grams.
• Cinnamon powder: 1 gram.
• Melted butter (unsalted butter): 15 grams.
• A loaf of baguette or another type of bread like French Bread, or others you like.
• Fruits: raisin or any nuts you like.

Ideally, bake at 180°C ovens for 40 to 45 mins.

How To Do

The Sauce

• Use your hands and tool if needed to crack three eggs into a large mixing bowl.
• Whisk the above eggs until it is united together.
• Pour in the salt and sugar with the amount as ingredients and whisk.
• Add the milk into and whisk.
• Continue to pour whipping cream and whisk.
• Toss some butter and whisk. If the butter does not dissolve, don’t worry. It’s normal
• Put vanilla into the mixture and some  cinnamon powder according to your taste.
• Whisk the blend more and more until you see the consistency.
• You have done the custard preparation. Set the sauce aside!

Baking Process

• Set the oven at 180 °C and start reheating. Then, you are about to prepare the bread.
• Bake the baguette and cut 1/3 of it with a bread knife. The best baguette to use for the dish is stale bread because it soaks up the sauce much better than the newly baked one.

• Cut the baguette into eating pieces or into a bread cubes shape. As long as it is bread pieces, you are good to go.
• Move them to the baking dish.
• Take the custard and whisk it one last time.
• Pour it over the baguette and soak them.
• If needed, whisk the mixture and let the baguette soak better. Add the fruits!
• Let it sit there for 10 mins.
• Open the oven. Push the baking dish to the baking pan.
• Spill some hot water into the pan, about 2 inches in depth.
• Start baking in 20 mins, and then you should cover the mixture with a foil. You need to bake for another 20 to 25 mins.
• After 45 mins, your dish is done.
• Take it out. The final dish is the one with beautiful golden brown.
• Allow it to cool down for at least 14 mins, and then you can cut and enjoy your delicious dessert.

Cautions

If you want to use your homemade baguette, like the bread made with just flour and water, it is totally fine. But don’t forget to let it be old baguettes for better soaking experiences!

Conclusion

“Does bread pudding need to be refrigerated” is not a question to you now.

We hope that the mouth-watering dish will bring beyond expectation to your loved one in the future because it is an easy recipe for anyone, even those of us with less cooking talent. 🙂