I would call myself a dessert lover, and bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts that I count for. So today, from this article I’ll brief you about the freezing of bread pudding. This will be valuable if you’re a bread pudding lover like me because you can keep bread pudding for a longer period when you freeze it. That’s the solution for day to day question of what to do with leftover bread pudding?
So let’s start. As we all know, Bread pudding is a simple but delectable dessert made with stale bread, milk, sugar, and eggs. Despite the main ingredient being stale bread, you’re probably wondering how to keep your bread pudding as fresh as possible.
Does Bread Pudding Go Bad?
The most frequent questions that everyone asks is how long can bread pudding sit out and how long will bread pudding keep in refrigerator?
Let’s answer first for whether bread pudding goes bad? The answer is “Yes”, if bread pudding is not refrigerated, it will go bad in a matter of hours. This is because of the large amounts of dairy ingredients used. The bread pudding will begin to spoil after 5 days in the refrigerator.
How to Keep Bread Pudding For Longer?
You can store leftover bread pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days for the best results. Bread pudding can also be frozen for longer-term storage. Bread pudding can be frozen for up to 3 months.
So refrigeration is the best place to keep bread pudding. If you haven’t yet added any additional sauce, such as custard, wait until you’re ready to eat the pudding. That’s the secret behind myself keeping bread pudding freshly for a longer period.
When you are going to store bread pudding in the refrigerator, follow the steps below that I’m following:
- If you just baked the bread pudding, make sure it has completely cooled.
- Placing the bread pudding in an airtight container is a good idea. The more compact the container, the better, as this will help keep the dish from going stale too soon. You can also wrap the bread pudding in plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. The more air contact protection you provide, the less dry the pudding will become.
- The bread pudding will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. However, use the dish within 2 days, when moisture loss will be less noticeable for the best results.
Can You Freeze Bread Pudding?
Now we know the answer to the frequently asked question of you, can I freeze bread pudding?
Yes, we can freeze bread pudding. Despite the fact that bread pudding contains delicate ingredients like bread, butter, eggs, and milk, it freezes surprisingly well. Let’s see whether we can freeze bread pudding before baking. I’ve tried this several times.
Can You Freeze Bread Pudding before Baking
Bread pudding can be prepared a day ahead of time, refrigerated overnight, and baked just before serving. Alternatively, you can bake it ahead of time and refrigerate it for one to two days before reheating it in the oven. Keep in mind that unbaked bread pudding will become soggy the longer it sits, so what I do is leaving it unbaked for not longer than overnight.
Can You Freeze Bread Pudding after It Is Baked
Now let’s look at Can You Freeze Bread Pudding after it is baked, obviously a big Yes. I’ve already mentioned the steps you need to follow when you’re freezing cooked bread pudding. Bread pudding freezes well if it hasn’t already been smothered in a sauce. I’m not recommending you to freeze bread pudding with sauce because it will result in a sludgy, messy dish. If you haven’t yet added any additional sauce, such as custard, wait until you’re ready to eat the pudding.
Freezing can extend the storage life of these puddings by up to 3 months. When most puddings are frozen, they have the consistency of ice cream.
Things I Considered When Freezing Bread Pudding
To freeze bread pudding, follow these steps that I’m following every day. This is my secret freeze bread pudding recipe.
Before freezing the bread pudding, make sure it has completely cooled.
- Cut the bread pudding into individual servings if desired. If you don’t want to eat the leftovers all at once, this will come in handy.
- Wrap the bread pudding twice in plastic wrap.
- Wrap the bread pudding in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight freezer bag or container. This helps to keep the moisture in the pudding and prevents freezer burn.
- Label the container with the date, so you know how long it has been frozen.
- Freeze any sauce separately from the pudding if possible. This helps to keep the dessert’s texture and consistency.
How Long Will Bread Pudding Last In The Freezer?
The bread pudding will keep in the freezer for 2 to 4 months. Having said that, we don’t recommend leaving the bread pudding for this long.
Actually, the life span of bread pudding is determined by how it is stored.
- How long will bread pudding last in the fridge?
It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days if stored tightly in a covered container.
- How long can it be kept in the freezer?
If properly stored, it can be kept in the freezer for up to three months.
How to Freeze Bread Pudding? Steps That I Follow
Once you’ve made it, cooled it, and eaten your first slice, you can store what’s left in the freezer and reheat it when you’re ready for another.
If you want to know the process behind the answer to the question, “Can you freeze bread pudding?” keep reading. The steps for freezing bread pudding at home are mentioned below.
Wrap
To begin, I’m tightly wrapping bread pudding loaf or dish in plastic wrap or a freezer bag. Aluminum foil or other materials is not recommending by me because they may allow air to enter, causing freezer burn and ruining the bread pudding.
Seal
Ensure that your wrap is completely sealed around the loaf or pudding dish, allowing no air to enter or exit. A tight seal aids in the preservation of the pudding to last long.
Label
Many people save leftovers in the freezer, only to forget about them for months because they are hidden at the bottom. This happened to me as well. So label your bag or wrapped dish so you know it contains banana bread – and you don’t mix it up with something else. It’s also a good idea to write the date you put it in the freezer, so you know how long it stays there.
Sauce
Hopefully, you haven’t already poured the sauce over the frozen bread pudding. The best way to keep bread pudding fresh is to keep the sauce separate and pour it on one slice at a time. You can freeze the sauce separately in a small container and reheat it when ready to serve the dessert.
Thawing and Reheating Frozen Bread Pudding
Reheating Bread Pudding in the Microwave
Microwaving your bread pudding is another great way to warm it up. This will only take a few seconds, and you can be sure that it will be hot and ready to go when you are.
When reheating bread pudding in the microwave, certain steps must be taken.
- Bread pudding should be served on a microwave-safe plate.
- Proper reheating could take as little as 30 seconds. Before serving, make sure the bread pudding is completely warmed through.
- Once heated, remove from microwave and set aside to cool. It is now time to relax and enjoy yourself.
When someone wants to reheat their bread pudding, they can do so quickly and with little or no effort. The benefit of reheating bread pudding is that it can be enjoyed at the temperature that the individual prefers.
Reheating Bread Pudding in the Oven
When it comes to reheating bread pudding, the oven is a great option. Even if you have to wait a few minutes for it to finish, you can get it warmed up and have it almost taste the same as when it came out of the oven the first time.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees °F
- Place the bread pudding in a baking dish or on a baking sheet.
- Reheat for 10-20 minutes (Depending on the size or if it had been in the fridge).
- Take it out and enjoy it once it’s fully heated.
Reheating Bread Pudding on the Stove
I decided to reheat my bread pudding on the stovetop recently. Simply put, it was fantastic.
Before adding a portion of bread pudding, I added a dollop of butter to the pan. Halfway through the cooking time, flip the pudding to create crumbly crisp edges on both sides.
In all cases, the dish should be heated to at least 165 degrees °F.
How I Store Bread Pudding & Keep It from Drying Out
The first step is, If you just baked the bread pudding, make sure it has completely cooled.
Placing the bread pudding in an airtight container is a good idea. The more compact the container, the better, as this will help keep the dish from going stale too soon. You can also wrap the bread pudding in plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. The more air contact protection you provide, the less dry the pudding will become.
The bread pudding will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. However, use the dish within 2 days, when moisture loss will be less noticeable for the best results.
In order to drying out cover the pudding with foil which prevent it from drying out.
How to Fix Dry Bread Pudding
Dry bread pudding is typically the result of the bread absorbing moisture while in storage. If you leave a pudding out for a few days, it is quite common to become dry. Fortunately, it is simple to repair (and delicious).
Simply add a sauce to dry bread pudding to make it delicious. You can use custard, cream, toffee sauce, or anything else you want! Just before serving, add the sauce or cream to the dish. Another way to resurrect dry bread pudding is to top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. These are my secrets to fix dry bread pudding.
Wrapping
Bread pudding is a brilliant way to repurpose stale bread. It’s a sweet and sticky treat that’s best eaten warm and is popular all over the world.
If you’re wondering, “Can bread pudding be frozen?” you now got the answer with our article of can you freeze bread pudding? Along with the steps that I’m following to freeze bread pudding.
