Budin de Pan, also known as Pudin de Pan, is a beloved dessert in many Latin American countries. It's a sweet and comforting dish that combines stale bread, custard, and caramel into a delicious and creamy bread pudding. This Paraguyan-inspired recipe for Budin de Pan is simple and versatile, with many variations and substitutions that can be made to suit your tastes.
This classic version of Budin de Pan features a rich and creamy custard base that is blended with the bread cubes to create a smooth and creamy texture. A layer of sweet caramel sauce on top adds the perfect finishing touch to this delectable dessert. It can be served with various toppings such as fresh fruit, whipped cream, or a Dulce de Leche to enhance its already delicious flavor.
The dish is also a great way to use up stale bread that might otherwise go to waste, making it both economical and delicious. Whether you are looking for a classic dessert to share with family and friends or a comforting treat to enjoy on a cold winter's day, this Budin de Pan recipe is a perfect choice.
Best Types of Bread to Use in Budin de Pan
While you can use any type of bread for Budin de Pan, some types work better than others. Here are three of the best types of bread to use in Budin de Pan:
- French bread: French bread has a slightly crusty exterior and a soft and fluffy interior, making it a great choice for bread pudding. Its airy texture allows it to absorb the custard mixture well, resulting in a light and fluffy bread pudding.
- Brioche: Brioche is a rich and buttery bread that is often used in French toast and bread pudding. Its high egg and butter content makes it ideal for soaking up the custard mixture, resulting in a creamy and decadent bread pudding.
- Challah: Challah is a sweet and eggy Jewish bread that is often used in bread pudding. Its soft and fluffy texture allows it to absorb the custard mixture well, resulting in a tender and moist bread pudding. The slightly sweet flavor of the bread also adds a nice touch to the dish.
These are just a few of the best types of bread to use in Budin de Pan. You can experiment with other types of bread to see what works best for you and your taste preferences.
How to Make Budin de Pan
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
For the Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup of sugar. Cook the sugar, stirring occasionally, until it begins to melt and turns brown around the edges. Use a long-handle heatproof rubber spatula to pull the melted sugar around the edges toward the center of the unmelted sugar; this will help the sugar melt evenly. Continue cooking and pulling the melted sugar until all the sugar is melted and the caramel is uniformly dark amber (it should smell caramelly but not burnt), about 10 to 12 minutes total. (If you still have undissolved lumps of sugar, stir it off the heat until melted.)
Next, carefully pour the room-temperature water into the melted sugar while continuously stirring the mixture with a heatproof rubber spatula tilted slightly to prevent hot steam from burning you. The mixture will bubble and steam vigorously, and some of the sugar may harden up and crystallize. Don't worry; just keep stirring the mixture over medium heat for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sugar re-melts completely and the caramel is smooth.
Be careful not to overcook the caramel, as it can burn quickly and become bitter. Pour the caramel into the bottom of a 3 Quart (9 x 13) Pyrex Baking Dish; quickly swirl around to coat all bottom and sides. Lay a dishtowel on the bottom of a roasting pan, place the baking dish on top of the towel, and set aside to cool completely.
For the Budin con Pan mixture: Adjust a rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Bring water to a boil in a kettle. In a blender, blend together the evaporated milk, milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, eggs, and bread cubes until completely smooth. Alternatively, you can add the bread cubes to a mixing bowl with the custard mixture and stir well to coat the bread completely instead of blending the mixture together; this method can result in a bread pudding with a more traditional texture, with distinct pieces of bread throughout the pudding.
Pour the Budin de Pan into the caramel-coated dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Transfer to the oven, and fill the roasting pan with water to the halfway point. Bake until just set, about 70 to 80 minutes. Next, remove from the water bath and let the Budin de Pan cool completely before serving, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator, for about 4 hours but preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
When ready to serve, remove the Budin de pan from the refrigerator and let it sit for 10 minutes. Next, fill a shallow pan with hot water. Dip the bottom of the baking dish in hot water for a few minutes before inverting it so the caramel loosens from the bottom of the baking dish.
Run a knife around the baking dish, and be sure to reach the caramel on the bottom; tilt the baking dish slightly to allow a bit of the caramel into the gap. Carefully invert a rimmed platter over the baking dish. Grabbing both, carefully invert the flan onto the individual platters, scraping out any loose caramel, and serve.
Watch Recipe Video
Recipe
Budin de Pan
Equipment
- 2 Quart Pyrex Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs , room temperature
- 1 (14 oz/397ml) sweetened condensed milk ( or 1 cup/200g) light brown or granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract or zest from 1 lemon or orange
- 300 g Bolillo Bread
- 1 (12 oz/354 ml) full-fat can evaporated milk , it can be substituted with whole milk (You'll need about 1-½ Cups).
- 2 cups Whole Milk
For the Caramel Sauce
- 300g (1-½ cups) granulated sugar
- ½ cup water , room temperature
Instructions
For the Caramel Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup of sugar. Cook the sugar, stirring occasionally until it begins to melt and turns brown around the edges. Use a long- handle heatproof rubber spatula to pull the melted sugar around the edges toward the center of the unmelted sugar; this will help the sugar melt evenly.
- Continue cooking and pulling the melted sugar until all the sugar is melted and the caramel is uniformly dark amber (it should smell caramelly but not burnt), about 10 to 12 minutes total. (If you still have undissolved lumps of sugar, stir it off the heat until melted.)
- Next, carefully pour the room-temperature water into the melted sugar while continuously stirring the mixture with a heatproof rubber spatula tilted slightly to prevent hot steam from burning you. The mixture will bubble and steam vigorously, and some of the sugar may harden up and crystallize. Don't worry; just keep stirring the mixture over medium heat for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sugar re-melts completely and the caramel is smooth.
- Be careful not to overcook the caramel, as it can burn quickly and become bitter. Pour the caramel into the bottom of a 3 Quart (9 x 13) Pyrex Baking Dish; quickly swirl around to coat all bottom and sides. Lay a dishtowel on the bottom of a roasting pan, place the baking dish on top of the towel, and set aside to cool completely.
For the Budin de Pan:
- Adjust a rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Bring water to a boil in a kettle. In a blender, blend together the evaporated milk, milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, eggs, and bread cubes until completely smooth. Alternatively, you can add the bread cubes to a mixing bowl with the custard mixture and stir well to coat the bread completely instead of blending the mixture together; this method can result in a bread pudding with a more traditional texture, with distinct pieces of bread throughout the pudding.
- Pour the Budin de Pan into the caramel-coated dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Transfer to the oven, and fill the roasting pan with water to the halfway point. Bake until just set, about 70 to 80 minutes. Next, remove from the water bath and let the Budin de Pan cool completely before serving, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator, for about 4 hours, but preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
- When ready to serve, remove the Budin de pan from the refrigerator and let it sit for 10 minutes. Next, fill a shallow pan with hot water. Dip the bottom of the baking dish in hot water for a few minutes before inverting it so the caramel loosens from the bottom of the baking dish.
- Run a knife around the baking dish, and be sure to reach the caramel on the bottom; tilt the baking dish slightly to allow a bit of the caramel into the gap.
- Carefully invert a rimmed platter over the baking dish. Grabbing both, carefully invert the flan onto the individual platters, scraping out any loose caramel, and serve.
Watch how to make it
Notes
Place the bread pudding in a baking dish and cover it with foil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Reheating in the microwave: Cut a slice or portion of the bread pudding.
Place it on a microwave-safe plate.
Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. How to Make Ahead Budin de Pan can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Here's how to make it ahead: Prepare the bread pudding as directed in the recipe.
Once the bread pudding is baked, allow it to cool to room temperature.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator. The Budin de Pan can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
When you're ready to serve the bread pudding, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Remove the bread pudding from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes.
Remove the plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place the bread pudding in the preheated oven.
Bake the bread pudding for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Making Budin de Pan ahead of time is a great way to save time on the day of a special occasion or event. It also allows the flavors to develop and meld together, resulting in a more delicious and cohesive dish. How to Freeze We don't recommend freezing Budin de Pan, as it can negatively affect the texture and quality of the dish. It's best to consume the bread pudding within 3 of making it or to store it in the refrigerator for short-term storage.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is an estimate, calculated using standard data sources. Actual values may vary based on ingredient brands, preparation methods, and portion sizes. This information is for general reference only and should not be considered a substitute for professional dietary advice.
