Decadent Challah Bread Pudding with Creamy Custard & Crispy Crust

1. Preheat Oven

Begin by preheating your oven to 325°F, positioning racks in the middle and lower-middle sections. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar with the brown sugar and set this mixture aside for later.

2. Prepare the Challah

Spread the challah cubes in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Bake them for about 15 minutes, making sure to switch and rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time to ensure even toasting. Once done, let the cubes cool for 15 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of these toasted cubes for the topping.

3. Create the Custard

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ¾ cup of granulated sugar, vanilla extract, salt, heavy cream, and milk until the mixture is smooth and well-combined. Add the remaining cooled challah cubes to the custard mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Transfer this mixture to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and allow it to stand for 30 minutes. During this time, press the cubes occasionally to ensure they soak up the custard evenly.

4. Assemble and Bake

Spread the reserved 2 cups of challah cubes over the custard mixture in the baking dish. Gently press them into the custard to integrate the layers. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over it. Place the dish on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The pudding is ready when the center reaches 170°F, and pressing your finger in the center reveals no runny liquid.

5. Cool and Serve

Once out of the oven, let the bread pudding cool on a wire rack until it is set and just warm, which should take about 45 minutes.