Soft, creamy, and covered in homemade caramel, this Murcian classic is the best way to use up leftover bread or sponge cake — a silky caramel bread pudding from Murcia, Spain.
Ingredients
For the pudding: 200 g day-old bread or leftover sponge; 500 ml whole milk; 5 large eggs; 150 g sugar; peel of 1 lemon; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 tsp vanilla (optional). For the caramel: 100 g sugar and 2 tbsp water.
Method
Melt the caramel sugar with water to a golden colour and coat the base of your mould. Warm the milk with lemon peel and cinnamon, remove from the heat, and infuse 5–10 minutes, then discard the aromatics. Whisk eggs and sugar, add the warm milk, then the torn bread; soak a few minutes (blend lightly only if you want a finer texture). Pour into the caramel mould and bake in a water bath at 180°C for 45–60 minutes, until just set. Cool, chill at least 4 hours (overnight is best), run a knife around the edge, and turn out so the caramel coats the top. Serve cold.
Tips
A water bath keeps it creamy; chilling overnight gives the cleanest unmoulding.
