I adore this Panettone bread and butter pudding and of course with Christmas on the way I had to make it with Panettone. Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding is a wonderful winter dessert or Christmas pudding. It’s a family favourite dessert in our house and a brilliant Christmas bake. The Christmas spices in the custard add some lovely warmth and flavour to the finished baked dessert. My Christmas bread and butter pudding is a highlight of festive food.
AD This recipe is in partnership with Le Creuset. Recipe and opinions are my own.
Freshly served when still warm and with a dusting of icing sugar on top. I think this looks incredible. The softer bread has absorbed the custard beautifully. I think we all had double portions it was so addictive.
The fruity Panettone Bread adds that extra level of delicious fruit to the final dish which is divine. I think the red plate for serving makes it even more Christmassy.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s so fruity with a smooth homemade custard and has delicious toasted crusts. You’ll be going back for more than one serving.
- It’s a simple Christmas bread and butter pudding recipe, I love using the homemade custard but you can always swap it out for shop bought if you are low on time.
- You can easily add your own twist to make it a chocolate panettone bread and butter pudding or a lemon panettone bread and butter pudding.
The first time I ever saw a panettone bread and butter pudding was watching Nigel Slater make panettone bread and butter pudding or talking about it. I can’t really remember but hearing about the mix of my favourite Panettone and custard to make a hot Christmas dessert sounded so amazing. Since then I have I have been practising and refining my recipe.
The slices of Christmas Panettone bread and butter pudding are stacked up with corners up. I used a mix of the soft insides or crust so the finished pudding would have a nice range of textures.
Some people really love the crusts as they go crisper and have a little more bite. Other pieces of bread absorb a bit more custard so are softer and squidgy in a great way there is really a slice for everyone in the Christmas bread and butter pudding.
The custard is the hardest thing to make for this and even that is really simple. Just don’t leave it alone otherwise it might boil instead of slowly warm, so keep stirring.
Top Questions
What is the best way to eat panettone?
Can you freeze panettone bread and butter pudding?
Do you put butter on panettone?
Why is my bread and butter pudding watery?
Can you keep bread and butter pudding?
Why is Panettone eaten at Christmas?
Can bread and butter pudding be reheated?
What goes well with panettone?
Can you eat panettone for dessert?
How do you eat and serve panettone?
panettone bread and butter pudding, chocolate panettone bread and butter pudding, lemon panettone bread and butter pudding, Christmas bread and butter pudding,
Ingredients
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
PANETTONE
Officially more of a bread than a cake (hence the name, bread and butter pudding), Panettone is a traditional Italian Christmas dessert. Made of a sweet dough studded with candied fruits and raisins.
WHOLE MILK
Perfect for your custard, whole milk adds a wonderful thickness to your custard, you can use semi or skimmed milk but I think whole/ full fat works best.
DOUBLE CREAM
Same with the milk, double cream creates a heavy and rich custard that is perfect for pouring over your sliced Panettone. Just don’t let your cream boil, so keep your mix on a low heat and keep stirring.
VANILLA POD
I love the flavours of vanilla, it’s sweet and aromatic and when you use the vanilla pod rather than artificial flavouring the taste is so much better. It works perfectly for the Christmas bread and butter pudding.
EGGS
Any size of eggs will work to make your custard, but be sure to have them at room temperature before baking as the cold eggs may curdle the warmed milk and cream mixture. I also recommend breaking your eggs into a separate bowl just in case you drop any shell in, you can fish it out before mixing in the rest of your ingredients.
SUGAR
For the Christmas bread and butter pudding caster sugar works best as it dissolves fully and mixes well with your other ingredients but you can use what ever sugar you have at home. I dust my bread and butter made with panettone with icing sugar to serve because it looks like a little dusting of snow!
How to make the Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding – step by step
To make the custard place the whole milk in a saucepan.
Add in the double cream to the milk.
Slice a vanilla pod in half, scrape out the centre and add the centre and pod to the cream and milk mix.
Place on a medium heat and stir as it comes up to a boil. Take it off the heat before it boils. Allow to cool slightly.
In a bow whisk the eggs and extra yolk with the caster sugar.
Slowly pour the warm milk and cream mixture over the eggs, stirring constantly until smooth.
Grease a large ovenproof dish. I either use melted butter and pastry brush to paint it on or use a piece of kitchen paper with some soft butter I rub over.
Slice the Panettone. I left the crust on as it’s so soft and leaves a little crust which adds some crunch to the softness of the final pudding.
Butter each side of the bread.
Lay the slices up in the oven proof dish.
Pour the warm mix over the pudding. (Don’t forget to remove the vanilla pod)
Grate some orange zest over the top and leave to soak for at least 30 mins.
Heat oven to 180C (160C fan). Bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown and crispy on top.
Serve straight away.
P.s. if serving with a sprig of holly for a festive feel – don’t eat the holly.
Top Tips
- Make sure you butter both sides of the bread before you add it to the ovenproof dish. By buttering both sides of the panettone slices you are protecting the bread from toasting too much but also keeping the bread moist and soft when it comes out of the oven.
- Zest a lemon or orange over the top of your bread and butter pudding to make a lemon panettone bread and butter pudding.
- Leave the crusts on our Panettone slices to create different textures, you’ll have the soft custard filled middle with crispy outer edges.
Serving Suggestions
Panettone bread and butter pudding is best when served warm straight from the oven. You can slice it up once it’s cooled slightly and dig in!
I like to dust mine with a little icing sugar to really up the festive feel and add some cranberries and dried orange slices.
If you, like me, are a big chocolate fan, you could even melt your favourite chocolate and drizzle it over the chocolate panettone bread and butter pudding. I just love adding chocolate to desserts, especially at Christmas.
Serving the Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding on a Le Creuset plate
The plate is from the dining section of Le Creuset. These beautiful plates are available in the iconic colours and come with a beautiful glaze and a stylish three-ring pattern boarder. They are also dishwasher-proof which we can all agree makes them more desirable. This is the side dish which is 22cm across and are £14 each. It sounds expensive but I’ve found for the design, colour and strength it’s worth it. They will last a long time and feel strong. Each one is heavier than you would think too. These are made to last. Find more about them on the Le Creuset plates.
The Christmas Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding was cooked in the Le Creuset medium rectangular stoneware. It’s a versatile oven-proof dish which is fantastic for cooking everything from roasts to pudding but also is a very popular presentation bowl for our family too.
Equipment
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Substitutions and variations
CHOCOLATE PANETTONE BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING
Although I used classic panettone for this recipe using chocolate chip panettone makes incredible chocolate panettone bread and butter pudding too.
You can create a chocolate panettone bread and butter pudding using the same recipe as below but either adding your own chocolate chips in or using a panettone ready-made with chocolate. Both will work and both will taste incredible. Scroll down for the recipe!
You could also use chocolate chip brioche or even chocolate croissants.
ORANGE BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING
One way I love making this Panettone bread and butter pudding even more special is by adding orange zest. By adding orange zest to the top of the bread as the custard is soaking in you get that even more lovely aromas and flavours of oranges in the finished baked dessert.
PANETTONE BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING WITH MINCEMEAT
Once you’ve buttered your panettone, layer some mincemeat between each of the slices before laying it in your baking dish. This really ups the festive feel and is a great way to use up any of your leftover mincemeat. This recipe is especially good if you follow my Cranberry Mincemeat Recipe or the Vegan Mincemeat Recipe.
PANETTONE BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING WITH BAILEYS
I love Baileys at Christmas so adding it to the custard for this baileys panettone bread and butter pudding recipe was such a good idea. Just add about 50ml of Baileys to your finished and cooled custard and then follow the recipe as normal. This variation of the panettone bread and butter dessert is for over 18s only due to the alcohol content in Baileys.
Storing / Making ahead of time options
Bread and butter pudding will last in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. If you are eating leftover panettone bread and butter pudding, I recommend heating up your portion in the microwave for about 1minute.
I wouldn’t recommend making the Christmas bread and butter pudding the day before serving as it can dry out. If you have time, make it fresh, and you’ll enjoy it much more.
Panettone will last for years so if you haven’t bought any yet this year, check your cupboards for last year’s as it will probably still be good.
FAQS
What is the best way to eat panettone?
There are so many ways to eat panettone. The best way to eat it I believe is just pulled apart with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. The second best is definitely this Panettone bread and butter pudding. Keep scrolling down for the recipe.
Other things you can do with panettone is to toast the bread and top with ice cream or cream. With that you can add warm fruits or fruit compotes.
Can you freeze panettone bread and butter pudding?
The great thing about bread and butter pudding is that it not only tastes amazing but can be frozen. You can freeze it either before it’s cooked or once it’s cooked. I would recommend once it’s cooked as it holds together and the flavour is more intense and delicious. It can freeze for a few months. I would say 3 months max.
To reheat it once it’s been frozen. Allow to defrost and pop it back in the oven and cook for 15 minutes to warm it back at 180ºC. It should be pipping hot. You can also pop it in the microwave and cook it on high in short bursts to get it to pipping hot. If you want to make it a Christmas bread and butter pudding you can make it ahead and store it in the fridge just waiting to be reheated for the family.
Do you put butter on panettone?
When normally enjoying it you can, of course, put butter on panettone. A fresh slice buttered is a lovely treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. You can also toast panettone and put butter on it. The butter will soak through and it will be a lovely warm thing to enjoy. Toasted panettone with jam is also very much worth having. The warm sweet bread with sweet fruity jam is lovely. Toasted panettone with ice cream is also really yummy.
Why is my bread and butter pudding watery?
If you find your bread and butter pudding is watery it could be that you haven’t left it in the oven long enough to cook the custard fully. It is also a good idea to let the bread and custard sit for 30 minutes before cooking so it soaks in. This resting time is crucial for a delicious and well cooked bread and butter pudding.
Can you keep bread and butter pudding?
Bread and butter puddings keeps really well for a few days (about 4 days) in the fridge. It is freezes well too so you can make a large one and freeze portions to enjoy later. To reheat the bread and butter pudding from the fridge pop it in the microwave and cook in 30 second bursts. It should be pipping hot. You can enjoy it cold too but it’s delicious either way.
Why is Panettone eaten at Christmas?
Panettone was traditionally eaten at Christmas and New Year in Italy and was it was a way of showing your wealth. Affording the dried fruits and spices was a luxury and for many years it was made at Christmas as a seasonal treat. When the prices of the ingredients dropped it was able to be enjoyed by more people and the Christmas tradition continued with a wider audience.
Can bread and butter pudding be reheated?
Bread and butter pudding can easily be reheated. It will last a few days if kept in the fridge once cold. To reheat the panettone bread and butter pudding pop the portion you want in a microwave. Cover with cling film or a bowl with a gap and cook in short sharp bursts. I do about 30 seconds at a time until it is pipping hot and ready to eat again.
What goes well with panettone?
Panettone goes well with warm custard or baked into a panettone bread and butter pudding. I like mixing my panettone with Christmas spices, homemade custard and sometimes even a shot of baileys.
Can you eat panettone for dessert?
Yes, Panettone makes a wonderful Christmas dessert, you can serve it toasted with ice cream, baked into a bread and butter pudding or simply sliced with butter. It’s sweet and really Christmassy.
How do you eat and serve panettone?
You eat panettone like you would a fruit loaf or sweet bread, I love mixing my panettone with custard and Christmas Spices but you could eat and serve panettone in a bread and butter pudding, as a Christmas dessert or toasted and buttered.
Other Christmas Recipes you might like
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Recipe
Christmas Bread and Butter Pudding – Panettone Dessert
Equipment
- Medium sized oven proof dish
Ingredients
- 300 ml (300 ml) full fat milk
- 300 ml (300 ml) double cream / heavy cream
- 1 (1) vanilla pod
- 3 large (3) eggs
- 1 (1) egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) caster sugar / superfine sugar
- 1 large (1 large) Panettone
- 50 g (1.76 oz) salted butter softened plus extra for greasing
Instructions
- To make the custard place the whole milk in a saucepan.
- Add in the double cream to the milk.
- Slice a vanilla pod in half, scrape out the centre and add the centre and pod to the cream and milk mix.
- Place on a medium heat and stir as it comes up to a boil. Take it off the heat before it boils. Allow to cool slightly.
- In a bow whisk the eggs and extra yolk with the caster sugar.
- Slowly pour the warm milk and cream mixture over the eggs, stirring constantly until smooth.
- Grease a large ovenproof dish. I either use melted butter and pastry brush to paint it on or use a piece of kitchen paper with some soft butter I rub over.
- Slice the Panettone into chunky slices about 1.5cm thick. I left the crust on as it's so soft and leaves a little crust which adds some crunch to the softness of the final pudding.
- Butter each side of the bread.
- Lay the slices up in the oven proof dish.
- Pour the warm custard mix over the pudding. (remove the vanilla pod)
- Grate some orange zest over the top and leave to soak for at least 30 mins.
- Heat oven to 180C (160C fan). Bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown.
- Serve straight away.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Panettone is my favourite treat at Christmas. I couldn’t imagine it but having it made I was so amazed at how beautiful it tasted.
That is so kind of you to say! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
This drool worthy pudding is the ultimate in christmas (and all year round) luxury! Thank you for coming up with such wonderful and delicious recipes!
You are so lovely <3 thank you
Yummy! This looks so delicious and tasty! My family is going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to give this a try!
Happy holidays! I hope you all love the panettone bread and butter puddings as much as me.
We love bread pudding at home! I will surely be trying your recipe this year.
I really hope you enjoy it <3
Bread pudding is one of my aunts favorite desserts and she will be up next weekend. Saving this one to try with her.
I really hope she likes it. It’s so good!
One word: YUM! This bread dish looks fabulous!!
Thank you so much!
My mom used to make a bread pudding recipe and I’ve been looking for one to try. Yours looks like a wonderful version – I need to try this for sure!
I hope you enjoy it <3
delicious bread and butter pudding, I love it too. Also love the red color of the plates will check them out.