Your day-old bread deserves better. This Thai milk tea bread pudding is rich, creamy, and tastes exactly like your favorite milk tea order — just in dessert form.
What to do with stale bread at home? This recipe gives stale bread a second chance. This gives you the best of both worlds in one bite: a rich custard at the bottom and a crisp caramelized top.
Thai tea has smoky and bold flavors such as star anise, cinnamon, etc. and pairs well with the evaporated and condensed milk base. The tea flavor remains distinct even after combining it with bread and milk. Adding a bit of salt enhances the flavors further.
Opt for bread that has structure and is at least a day old. You’d want a dry and stale bread for this recipe to soak up the custard. Breads like sourdough, challah, brioche or french bread are great options!
It’s a great make-ahead, unique, bread pudding recipe that feeds a crowd with familiar flavors. If you’re feeling like it, add whipped cream or drizzle condensed milk to finish it off.
Dry bread is non-negotiable for a good bread pudding. Fresh bread is too moist to absorb the custard properly and will turn soggy instead of giving you that creamy, custardy texture you're going for. Day-old bread is ideal, but if all you have is fresh bread, there are a few ways to dry it out before you start.
Prepare for baking: Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish and grease bottom and all sides well with butter. Set aside.
Steep tea: In a measuring glass or bowl, steep tea leaves in hot water (not boiling) for 15-20 minutes. Drain using a fine-mesh strainer or a cheese cloth over a strainer, repeat to remove finer leaves if needed to remove any fine particles. Let cool to room temperature.
Make custard: In a large bowl, combine evaporated milk, condensed milk, sugar, salt, butter. Mix well to incorporate. Taste and adjust sweetness to your liking before adding eggs. Once custard is adjusted, add eggs and mix well.
Combine steeped tea with custard: Carefully pour steeped tea to the custard, stirring gently to combine.
Soak bread: Add cubed bread to the large bowl and fold gently until all bread is coated. Let soak for 5 minutes.
Bake pudding: Transfer the soaked bread to prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until top is crispy.
Serve: Let cool completely on a wire rack or a pot holder. Drizzle condensed milk or whipped cream on top. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
