Brioche Bread & Butter Pudding with Apple & Calvados Caramel
Buttery brioche layered with caramelised apple and vanilla custard, baked until golden and finished with warm Calvados caramel, toasted almonds and cool crème fraîche.
Bread and butter pudding is one of those desserts that proves comfort and elegance can happily share the same plate. Begin with good butter brioche, add softly caramelised apples and a proper vanilla custard, and the familiar British pudding takes on a more luxurious character.
At the centre of this recipe is La Boulangerie Fully Baked Butter Brioche . Its enriched, buttery crumb absorbs custard beautifully while retaining enough structure for the exposed edges to caramelise in the oven.
The apples add freshness and acidity, while the Calvados caramel reinforces the orchard flavours with warmth and depth. Cool crème fraîche and toasted almonds finish the plate, balancing creaminess with freshness and crunch.
Why butter brioche changes everything
Traditional bread and butter pudding is intentionally humble. Brioche allows us to keep that comforting character while creating something richer, softer and more appropriate for a dinner-party dessert.
The key is thickness. Generous slices absorb enough custard to become soft through the centre, while their exposed surfaces develop the golden edges that make each spoonful more interesting.
Choose apples that bring something to the dish
Apples are not just a filling here. Their acidity is essential to balancing the brioche and cream, so choose fruit with enough freshness to stand up to the caramel.
Cook the slices gently with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until lightly golden but still intact. They will continue cooking in the oven, so taking them too far in the pan can make the final pudding unnecessarily soft.
A custard that stays soft, not solid
The aim is not to bake the custard until firm. It should be softly set around the brioche, leaving the centre moist and luxurious.
Once assembled, let the pudding stand for around 15 minutes before baking. This resting time lets the custard penetrate the bread rather than remaining mainly at the base of the dish.
Butter, milk and cream are fundamental to the texture of traditional baking, and the richness of the dairy here is exactly what gives the pudding its rounded flavour and soft finish.
La Boulangerie Fully Baked Butter Brioche
Turn premium butter brioche into an elegant dessert, indulgent brunch or restaurant-inspired creation. Shop the brioche used in this recipe directly from Nicol Retailer.
Brioche Bread & Butter Pudding
The WP Recipe Maker card below contains the full ingredient quantities, timings, nutrition information, chef’s notes and step-by-step method.
Brioche Bread & Butter Pudding with Apple & Calvados Caramel
Ingredients
Brioche Pudding
- 8 slices La Boulangerie Fully Baked Butter Brioche thickly sliced
- 3 eating apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
- 300 ml double cream
- 250 ml whole milk
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 lemon finely grated zest only
- 1 pinch sea salt
Calvados Caramel
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 120 ml double cream
- 1 tbsp Calvados
- 1 pinch sea salt
To Finish
- crème fraîche or vanilla mascarpone for serving
- toasted flaked almonds for garnish
- icing sugar for dusting
- lemon zest for garnish
- fresh apple slices optional, for garnish
Instructions
Caramelise the Apples
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the sliced apples, soft brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Cook gently for 5–7 minutes until the apples are lightly caramelised but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Prepare the Custard
- Whisk together the eggs, double cream, whole milk, caster sugar, vanilla bean paste, lemon zest and sea salt until smooth.
Assemble the Pudding
- Butter a baking dish.
- Layer the thick brioche slices with the caramelised apples, slightly overlapping the brioche.
- Pour the custard slowly over the brioche and apples, allowing it to soak into the bread.
- Leave to stand for 15 minutes before baking.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes until the top is deeply golden and the custard is just set.
- Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Make the Calvados Caramel
- Add the light brown sugar and butter to a saucepan and cook gently until melted.
- Add the double cream and simmer for 2–3 minutes until smooth and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the Calvados and sea salt.
Serve
- Cut the pudding into neat portions and place on warm plates.
- Spoon the warm Calvados caramel around the pudding.
- Add a spoonful or quenelle of crème fraîche or vanilla mascarpone.
- Finish with toasted flaked almonds, icing sugar, lemon zest and fresh apple slices if using.
Notes
plant-based cream
cornflour to thicken the custard
plant-based butter
vegan crème fraîche or whipped coconut cream For the caramel, use plant-based butter and plant cream. Keep the apples, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon and sugar unchanged. Gluten-Free Variation Use a certified gluten-free brioche or enriched gluten-free loaf. Check packaged ingredients carefully, including: vanilla bean paste
Calvados
cream alternatives
icing sugar
any prepared flavourings The apples, eggs, milk, cream, butter, sugar, cinnamon, almonds and lemon are naturally gluten-free. For someone with coeliac disease, avoid cross-contamination from shared utensils, trays, chopping boards and storage areas. Vegan & Gluten-Free Variation Use a certified gluten-free vegan brioche or enriched plant-based loaf. Prepare the custard with unsweetened oat or soya milk, plant cream and cornflour, and use vegan butter throughout. Serve with dairy-free crème fraîche, vegan mascarpone or lightly whipped coconut cream. This keeps the same core flavour profile of buttery-style brioche, caramelised apple, vanilla custard and warm caramel, while adapting the dessert for both vegan and gluten-free diets.
Nutrition
How to Serve Brioche Bread & Butter Pudding
Let the pudding rest briefly after baking. Served warm rather than fiercely hot, the custard has time to settle and the apple flavour becomes much clearer.
Chef’s Tips for the Best Brioche Bread & Butter Pudding
Vegan and Gluten-Free Versions
Vegan
Use vegan brioche, plant-based milk and cream, vegan butter and a cornflour-thickened vanilla custard. Finish with vegan crème fraîche or softly whipped coconut cream.
Gluten-Free
Replace the brioche with a certified gluten-free enriched loaf and check all prepared ingredients and flavourings for gluten.
Vegan & Gluten-Free
Combine a gluten-free vegan enriched loaf with plant milk, plant cream and vegan butter for a fully adapted version.
Shop the Recipe at Nicol Retailer
Start with La Boulangerie Butter Brioche, then explore fresh fruit, dairy, nuts, vanilla, baking ingredients and pantry essentials to complete your dessert.
Continue Cooking with Nicol Retailer
A Note on Seasonal Apples
When possible, choose apples that are naturally in season. Seasonal eating encourages variety and allows ingredients to be enjoyed when they are particularly abundant and expressive. For a useful independent guide to British seasonal produce, see Love British Food’s seasonal calendar.
Comfort Food with a More Refined Finish
This is still unmistakably bread and butter pudding — warm, comforting and generous — but premium brioche, properly cooked apples and a balanced caramel turn it into a dessert worthy of a special table.
Serve it family-style for a relaxed Sunday meal or plate individual portions with crème fraîche and caramel for something more polished. Either way, the brioche remains the heart of the dish.
Recipe and image created by Nicol Retailer Limited.
