Salted Caramel Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding with Nutella is the ultimate comfort dessert. It takes the familiar British classic and gives it a rich, indulgent twist with buttery brioche rolls, a chocolate hazelnut filling and a silky salted caramel custard. The result is soft, creamy, golden and wonderfully decadent, with melted chocolate and fresh raspberries to finish.
This easy bread and butter pudding recipe is ideal when you want a dessert that feels special without taking hours to prepare. The brioche soaks up the caramel custard beautifully, while the Nutella melts into the centre of each roll. Once baked, the pudding is golden on top and soft underneath, with dark chocolate scattered over while it is still hot so it gently melts into the surface.
Bread and butter pudding can be made with many different types of bread, including croissants, hot cross buns, panettone, sliced white bread or leftover rolls. Brioche is especially good because it is naturally sweet, soft and buttery. It gives the pudding a luxurious texture and makes it perfect for a dinner-party dessert, a cosy weekend treat or an indulgent brunch.
Table of Contents
- Why you will love this recipe:
- Ingredients:
- Substitutions and Variations:
- Here’s how to make Salted Caramel Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding:
- Cooking Tips:
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More FAQs: serving
- Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
- Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Made this recipe and loved it?
- Salted Caramel Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding with Nutella Recipe
Why you will love this recipe:
- This salted caramel bread and butter pudding is a reliable crowd-pleasing dessert for family meals, special occasions and relaxed entertaining.
- It looks impressive, but the pudding takes less than 20 minutes to assemble before baking.
- The recipe is flexible, so you can adapt the filling, bread and toppings to suit your taste.
- The combination of brioche, Nutella, salted caramel custard and dark chocolate makes it rich, comforting and memorable.
Ingredients:
The full recipe with exact quantities is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Brioche rolls – Soft, sweet and buttery brioche rolls are perfect for this pudding because they soak up the custard without losing their rich texture. Sliced brioche can also be used.
Nutella – Nutella adds a creamy chocolate hazelnut centre to the brioche. You can use another chocolate hazelnut spread or a higher-quality gianduja-style spread if preferred.
Caster sugar – Caster sugar melts evenly and creates a smooth caramel. Granulated sugar can be used instead. For a deeper caramel flavour, soft light brown sugar is another option.
Double cream – Double cream gives the custard its rich, silky texture. It is also known as heavy cream.
Milk – Full-fat milk is recommended because it keeps the custard creamy without making it too heavy.
Eggs – Eggs set the custard and help create the soft, spoonable texture that makes bread and butter pudding so comforting.
Flaky salt – A little salt balances the sweetness of the caramel, brioche and Nutella.
Dark chocolate – Roughly chopped dark chocolate melts slightly when scattered over the hot pudding. A chocolate with at least 70% cocoa helps balance the sweetness.
Raspberries – Fresh raspberries add colour and a sharp, fruity contrast to the rich caramel and chocolate.
Substitutions and Variations:
Other fillings: Instead of Nutella, try dark chocolate chunks, jam, chocolate almond spread, lotus-style biscuit spread or pistachio cream. Any filling that melts well and pairs with brioche will work beautifully.
Other breads: This pudding is excellent with croissants, hot cross buns or panettone. At Christmas, panettone makes a festive version, while leftover hot cross buns are ideal at Easter. Good-quality soft white bread can be used in a pinch, although the finished pudding will be less buttery than a brioche version.
Fruit variations: Raspberries are lovely because they cut through the sweetness, but you could also serve the pudding with strawberries or other soft berries if you have them.
Here’s how to make Salted Caramel Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding:
This is a step-by-step overview. The full method is included in the recipe card below.
ONE: Add the water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Add the sugar and let it bubble gently without stirring for 3–5 minutes, or until it turns a deep caramel colour.
TWO: Reduce the heat and carefully whisk in the cream. The mixture may splutter, so pour slowly and keep whisking. Add the salt, remove from the heat and allow the caramel to cool slightly.
THREE: Whisk the eggs and milk together, then slowly pour in the cooled caramel while whisking until everything is combined.
FOUR: Spread the brioche rolls with Nutella, sandwich them together and arrange them in a buttered ovenproof dish. Pour the salted caramel custard over the top.
FIVE: Leave the brioche to soak for 10 minutes. Press it down occasionally so the rolls absorb as much custard as possible.
SIX: Bake at 160°C Fan for 25–30 minutes, until golden and set. Scatter the chopped dark chocolate over the pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven, then leave it to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Cooking Tips:
Making caramel: Do not stir the sugar and water while the caramel is forming. Stirring can cause crystallisation, which may make the caramel gritty. Once the cream has been added, you can whisk the mixture until smooth. Always let the caramel cool slightly before combining it with the eggs so the custard does not scramble.
Checking it is cooked: Gently shake the dish. If the centre is very loose or liquid, the pudding needs more time. You can also insert a knife or skewer into the centre. If the custard is still runny, return the pudding to the oven in 5-minute increments until set.
Sinking after baking: The pudding will puff up in the oven and may look a little like a soufflé. It will sink back down as it rests, which is completely normal.
Serving: Let the pudding stand for 5 minutes before serving. This gives the custard time to settle and makes it easier to scoop neat portions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bread and butter pudding is a traditional British dessert that is often made to use up leftover bread. Classic versions usually layer buttered bread in a dish with dried fruit, then cover it with an egg custard before baking until soft, golden and just set.
Although the names are sometimes used interchangeably, the two desserts are different. Bread pudding is usually made by soaking and mashing stale bread with milk, spices and dried fruit to create a dense, sliceable pudding. Bread and butter pudding is lighter, creamier and more custard-like, with visible layers or pieces of bread baked in a rich custard.
More FAQs: serving
This pudding is delicious with a scoop of good-quality vanilla ice cream. Chocolate, raspberry or stracciatella ice cream would also work well with the salted caramel and Nutella flavours.
The recipe is suitable for vegetarians, but it is not vegan. The eggs are essential for setting the custard, so a vegan version is not recommended for this particular recipe.
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
To store: Cover any leftovers and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can cover the baking dish well or transfer smaller portions to an airtight container.
To reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1–2 minutes until piping hot. Alternatively, place the baking dish back in the oven at 160°C for 10–15 minutes, depending on how much pudding is left. The custard may firm up slightly when reheated, but it will still taste delicious.
To freeze: The assembled, unbaked pudding can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in clingfilm and then foil. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed and make sure it is piping hot before serving.
Make ahead: You can assemble the pudding a day in advance. Cover it and refrigerate until ready to bake. It may need around 10 extra minutes in the oven if baked straight from the fridge. Always check that the centre is hot before serving.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you enjoy rich and comforting desserts, you might also like melt-in-the-middle chocolate pudding, no-bake tiramisu cake, apple crumble cheesecake, peach cobbler, pistachio brioche French toast, pistachio croissants or panettone bread and butter pudding with orange and dark chocolate.
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Made this recipe and loved it?
If you try this Salted Caramel Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding with Nutella, leave a review in the comments. It is always lovely to hear how the recipe turned out, what you served it with and whether you made any changes.
Salted Caramel Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding with Nutella
Ingredients
- Butter, for greasing
- 6 brioche rolls, sliced
- 6 tbsp Nutella
- 5 large eggs
- 3 tbsp water
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp flaky salt
- 250 ml double cream
- 250 ml full-fat milk
To serve:
- 50 g good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1 handful of raspberries
- mint sprigs
- vanilla ice cream
Instructions
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Lightly grease a deep ovenproof dish, approximately 30 x 20cm, with butter. Choose a dish that fits the 6 brioche rolls in two neat rows of three.
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Slice the brioche rolls, spread each one with 1 tablespoon of Nutella, then sandwich them back together. Arrange the filled brioche rolls in the prepared dish.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together, then set aside.
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Add the water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Add the sugar and allow it to bubble gently, without stirring, for 3–5 minutes or until it becomes a rich caramel colour.
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Reduce the heat and carefully pour in the cream, whisking constantly. The caramel will splutter, so add the cream slowly. Stir in the flaky salt, then remove from the heat and cool for about 10 minutes.
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Slowly pour the cooled caramel into the egg and milk mixture, whisking continuously until smooth.
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Pour the salted caramel custard over the Nutella-filled brioche rolls. Leave to soak for 10 minutes, pressing the brioche down occasionally so it absorbs the custard.
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Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160°C Fan.
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Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the pudding is golden and the custard has set.
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Remove from the oven and immediately scatter over the chopped dark chocolate so it melts slightly from the heat of the pudding. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
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Top with raspberries and fresh mint sprigs.
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Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Notes
To reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 1–2 minutes until piping hot, or reheat the dish in the oven at 160°C for 10–15 minutes.
To freeze: Freeze the assembled, unbaked pudding for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before baking.
Make ahead: Assemble up to 1 day in advance, cover and refrigerate. Add extra baking time if needed and ensure the centre is piping hot.
Caramel tip: Do not stir the sugar and water while the caramel forms. Let it cool slightly before adding it to the egg mixture.
Serving tip: Rest the pudding for 5 minutes before serving so the custard settles.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 75g,
Protein: 19g,
Fat: 48g,
Sugar: 33g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.