Improvised simple bread pudding

I had a homemade wholemeal bread given by a neighbour 2 weeks ago. Half of it was still lying in the fridge. The kids rejected the bread once they saw the granular brown dots of fibre on the bread. They always reject anything that looks 'abnormal' even before trying it! I have to constantly encourage them to try before making a decision whether to like or to hate something.

So to salvage half of the wholemeal bread, I decided to make a bread pudding. I've done it before, maybe a couple or thrice but it never turned out as I expected. Back then, I didn't exactly learn how to make. I just roughly noted its main ingredients and pretending as an experienced cook, combined all the ingredients without knowing the measurements, how much eggs and milk etc. I would say it was never a hit.

The best bread pudding I've had was at a hotel at Genting Highland. It was soft as well as crusty, perfect sweetness and perfect vanilla sauce. I don't really like bread pudding which are too soft or have been 'compacted' too much (trying to fit a lot of bread in one). I also prefer to use crusty bread such as baguette to normal white sandwich bread.

This time, I took the time to get recipes and videos from the internet. I goggled for the simplest recipe and method. I've always like AllRecipe.com because recipes there are tried and tested. However, I roughly  adjust the recipes as the bread that I have is less than the quantity in the recipe.

My recipe
Staple ingredients
Bread
50g melted butter pour over the bread

Custard. Combine and mix
200ml milk
2 eggs
3/4 sugar
vanilla essence

Optional additions
Chocolate chips
Raisins or dates

Pour custard over bread ensuring all are soaked.  Evenly spread chocolate chips and dried fruit of choice (to make it a healthier! Hoho). Leave about 10 minutes before getting it into the oven.

Size of baking tin
You can prepare straight in the baking tin/dish of your choice. Size depends on how much bread you have. My tip is to imagine the cooked pudding, whether it will have heights or gets flat using the chosen size. To have heights is better.

Ensure oven is pre-heated, I did mine at 150-180C and took about 30 min to be ready. The bread pudding will fluffed up and the top will be golden brown. Done

Vanilla sauce
Combine half milk and half evaporated milk
Sugar to taste
1 tbs custard powder
Vanilla essence

Boil in a pan. Always stir. Turn off once the consistency of liquid able to coat the back of spoon.

I don't really put the exact measurement because I really rely on the amount of bread that I had. The recipe actually calls for 4 eggs, more sugar etc but I improvised and you should too.

Have a try!

Milk and the bread drenched in melted butter

Bread soaked in 'custard'

Tadaa!

2nd attempt as requested using baguette.