Bread Pudding for 40 —rsquo; The Dessert That Feeds a Growing Family

The engagement has activated Lourdes. Fully activated — the Lourdes at maximum output, the Lourdes who treats family events as military campaigns and applies the same strategic rigor to wedding planning that she applies to lumpia production. Within forty-eight hours of the engagement, Lourdes had: contacted the priest at St. Patrick's (in case they want a church wedding in Anchorage), calculated the lumpia requirements for a Kodiak wedding (five hundred — bigger venue, more guests, the number scaling with the location), and begun a comprehensive assessment of Suki's family via the auntie network (results: Japanese-American, Kodiak-born, "good family," which is Lourdes's shorthand for "they feed people").

Suki's parents are in Kodiak. The wedding will probably be in Kodiak too — Joseph's territory, Suki's home, the island where they met and fell in love and where the Lourdes Marie (the boat) is docked. A Kodiak wedding means Lourdes will need to transport lumpia by plane, which she has done before (Mark's wedding) and will do again with the same confidence she brings to all logistical challenges: absolute, untested, and ultimately successful.

I made lechon kawali for the engagement celebration dinner at Lourdes's house. The crispy pork belly. The celebration pork. Angela brought Mia (six months old, beginning to understand that loud gatherings are a Santos constant). James brought wine. Pete brought his appetite. The table was full. The family is growing — Mark and Carmen in San Diego, Joseph and Suki soon in Kodiak, Angela and James in Anchorage, and me. Standing. Cooking. At the table.

After the lechon kawali was cleared and Mia had been passed from arm to arm around the table long enough to decide she preferred Pete, Lourdes started talking about dessert — which is to say, she started talking about the next gathering, and the one after that. That’s when I knew this bread pudding was the right way to close the night: a recipe built for forty people, for tables that keep getting bigger, for families that keep adding chairs. It’s warm, simple, and shameless in its generosity — which felt exactly right for the occasion.

Bread Pudding for 40

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 1 hr 20 min | Servings: 40

Ingredients

• 2 loaves (1 lb each) day-old white bread, cubed (about 20 cups)
• 12 large eggs
• 4 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• For the vanilla sauce:
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons bourbon or whiskey (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep the pans. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 13x9-inch baking pans generously with butter or nonstick spray. Divide the cubed bread evenly between the two pans.
2. Make the custard. In a very large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until fully combined and the sugar is dissolved.
3. Soak the bread. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread in both pans. Press the bread down gently with your hands or a spatula to ensure every piece is soaked. Scatter raisins over the top if using. Let sit for at least 15 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard.
4. Bake. Bake uncovered for 50–55 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the custard is set in the center (a knife inserted in the middle should come out mostly clean, not wet). If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
5. Make the vanilla sauce. While the pudding bakes, melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Slowly whisk in the beaten eggs a little at a time, then return the pan to low heat, stirring constantly for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and bourbon if using. Keep warm.
6. Serve. Spoon warm bread pudding into bowls or onto plates and drizzle generously with the warm vanilla sauce. Best served the day it is made, but leftovers reheat well covered in the oven at 325°F.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 40g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 210mg