Make this delicate dessert in a shallow ceramic baking dish so that when it's baked, all that's visible is a sea of golden, toasty caramelized bread slices.
Bread pudding can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 1/2 hr
Yield
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle.
Step 2
Put bread in a 3-quart flameproof shallow baking dish (not glass). Whisk in zest, lemon juice, and 4 cups cream (chill remaining cup cream) and pour over bread. Press down with a spatula to help bread soak up some of custard.
Step 3
Whisk together whole eggs, yolks, and sugar in a large bowl until pale and thick, about 1 minute.
Step 4
Lightly sprinkle with sugar and bake in a water bath until custard is barely set and edges of bread are golden, 40 to 45 minutes.
Step 5
Turn on broiler and broil bread pudding 4 to 5 inches from heat until golden-brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Cool to warm, about 30 minutes (pudding will continue to set).
Step 6
Just before serving, beat remaining cup cream with syrup using an electric mixer or a whisk until it just holds soft peaks. Serve pudding, warm or chilled, with cream.
