Name: BA's Best Bread Pudding
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: ½ large (2-pound) loaf challah bread, torn into 1½–2-inch pieces (about 8 cups); 1 3-inch cinnamon stick; ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise; 1½ cups heavy cream; 1½ cups whole milk; ⅓ cup granulated sugar; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 3-inch strip orange zest; ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted, divided, plus more for pan; 1 large egg; 2 large egg yolks; 2 tablespoons raw sugar; ¼ cup sliced almonds (optional)

This image may contain Plant Dish Food Meal Nut Vegetable and Bowl

Photo by Heidi's Bridge, Styled by Monica Pierini

A bread pudding you can have your way. See below for variations to make it coconut or chocolate. If you favor a soft, creamier, custardy texture from top to bottom, bake in an 8x8" pan. If you want to maximize the top layer of buttery crispiness, bake in a shallower pan with more surface area, such as a 1½-qt. oval baking dish. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Recipe notes

Flourless Chocolate-Orange Cake

Party-ready and delightfully simple, this fudgy cake will become your go-to hosting dessert.

Dark Chocolate Flax Bark

Crunchy, seedy flax crackers get topped with dark chocolate and a showering of sea salt for the ultimate sweet and salty snack.

Pumpkin Flan de Queso

This seasonal take on a Puerto Rican favorite adds pumpkin purée and a touch of warm spice for an autumnal flair.

Coffee Cake Scones

Sour cream scones get treated to a cinnamon-sugar swirl and crunchy streusel crown.

Millionaire’s Shortbread

Our ultimate version of the luxe chocolate-caramel bars.

Double-Chocolate Flourless Brownies

Nutty and deeply chocolatey, these brownies just so happen to be gluten-free.

Hummingbird Cake

Our spin on the beloved classic, featuring pineapple jam and cream cheese frosting.

Mar i Muntanya

The original surf-and-turf, this rustic Spanish dish combines tender seafood and beefy meatballs in a thick, savory stew.