Bread Pudding

A low FODMAP bread pudding of cubed gluten-free bread baked in a lactose-free milk, cream, and egg custard with cinnamon and blueberries or dark chocolate chips.

Prep 20 min

Cook 50 min

Serves 6

Gluten-freeVegetarian

Ingredients

• 6 cups (about 300g) day-old gluten-free bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (read the label and avoid loaves that list inulin, chicory root fiber, or added apple/pear fiber)
• 2 cups (480ml) lactose-free whole milk
• 1/2 cup (120ml) lactose-free heavy cream, or another 1/2 cup (120ml) lactose-free milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (100g) cane sugar (white granulated), plus 1 tablespoon for the top
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (about 110g) fresh or frozen blueberries, OR 1/2 cup (85g) dark chocolate chips (about 14g dark chocolate per serving, under the 30g low FODMAP serve)
• 1 tablespoon butter, for greasing the dish
• Maple syrup, to drizzle (optional, about 1 tablespoon per serving)

Instructions

Prep the bread

1. Butter an 8x8-inch (2-quart) baking dish and set it aside. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Spread the bread cubes in the dish in an even layer. If your loaf is fresh rather than stale, dry the cubes in the warm oven for 8 to 10 minutes so they can drink up the custard without turning to mush.

Mix the custard

1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the cane sugar until smooth.
2. Whisk in the lactose-free milk, lactose-free cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined.

Assemble and bake

1. Pour the custard evenly over the bread cubes. Press the bread down with a spatula so every piece is soaked, then let it sit for 15 minutes.
2. Scatter the blueberries or dark chocolate chips over the top and tuck a few between the cubes. Sprinkle the reserved 1 tablespoon of sugar across the surface.
3. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is set and lightly golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. An egg custard is done at an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
4. Cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup at the table if you like, keeping it to about 1 tablespoon per serving.

Tips & Substitutions

• Stale bread holds its shape. A day-old or lightly oven-dried loaf absorbs the custard evenly, while fresh bread can collapse into a dense layer.
• Check the gluten-free loaf's label. Some GF breads add inulin or chicory root fiber for texture, both of which are high in fructans. Pick a plain loaf without them.
• Keep the mix-in low-FODMAP. Blueberries and dark chocolate chips both have tested low-FODMAP serves. Skip raisins and sultanas, which turn high-FODMAP above about 1 tablespoon.
• Use lactose-free dairy throughout. Standard milk and cream carry the lactose here. Lactose-free versions bake and set the same way.
• Sweeten with maple, not honey. Maple syrup is low FODMAP at 1 tablespoon per serving. Honey is low only at about 1 teaspoon; larger amounts are high in excess fructose and fructans.
• Bake your own loaf if you prefer. A gluten-free 1:1 flour blend makes a workable sandwich loaf you can cube for this dish.

Why This Works

• Lactose-free dairy. Lactose-free milk and cream give the same custard body, with the lactose already broken down.
• Plain cane sugar. White sugar is low FODMAP at the amount used here. Many "sugar-free" sweeteners are polyols (sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol), which are high FODMAP.
• Blueberries and dark chocolate stay within tested serves. Both hold low-FODMAP portions, while raisins are low FODMAP only at about 1 tablespoon.
• Gluten-free bread skips the wheat fructans. Cubing a plain GF loaf keeps the base low in fructans, as long as no inulin or chicory root sneaks in through the ingredient list.

Storage

Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 45 seconds, or warm the dish, covered, in a 300°F (150°C) oven. To freeze, wrap cooled squares tightly and store for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Add any maple drizzle after reheating, and keep it to about 1 tablespoon per serving.