Very Berry Bread Pudding

This easy Berry Bread Pudding is the best dessert (or breakfast) to satisfy those sweet cravings. It is creamy, decadent, and so easy to make in the air fryer, oven, or even the instant pot. Perfect for serving to the family or for entertaining!

I first got the idea to make bread pudding from my friend Urvashi Pitre’s air fryer cookbook. In the cookbook, there is a fabulous Blueberry Cream Cheese Bread Pudding. So, I used that recipe as a base to create this Mixed Berry Bread Pudding in the air fryer.

Who does not love a dessert that can also be enjoyed for breakfast? 🙋‍♀️

This bread pudding is also very versatile; I used raspberry and blueberry. You can make it with any berries you have on hand or without any berries…maybe add banana to make it a banana bread pudding or an old-fashioned cinnamon bread pudding.

Adapted from Air Fryer Revolution: 100 Crispy, Healthy, Fast & Fresh Recipes © 2019 by Urvashi Pitre. Photography © 2019 by Ghazalle Badiozamani. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

I used a 6×6 baking dish to make this bread pudding in the air fryer. The reason for the small pan so it fits in the air fryer, and also that we sometimes want to make a little dessert to indulge, but not eat a lot of it for the whole week 😉

Brioche – Use a day-old brioche and cut it into small cubes. You can also use challah or croissants in this recipe. A loaf of day-old bread is better at soaking all that custard to make this dessert rich.

Eggs – I used two large eggs when making this bread pudding in a 3-cup pan in the air fryer. Adjust the quantity based on how big your pan is. These are the key ingredients, sugar, and half-and-half, to make the custard.

Light Cream or Milk – I have tried this recipe with light cream and whole milk. They both work well. You can also use heavy whipping cream if you prefer.

Lemon Extract – I loved using lemon extract in this bread pudding. It compliments the berries well and balances the flavors. You can use vanilla extract if you don’t have it.

Berries – I used raspberries and blueberries. You can use either one or both, along with strawberries or blackberries.

How to make Bread Pudding in the Air Fryer?

• Grease a 6×6 baking pan and keep it aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cream, sugar, and lemon extract. Whisk until they are well combined to make a custard.
• Spread the cut brioche pieces in a single layer in the baking pan. Spread a handful of berries on the brioche.
• Now add another layer of brioche and then spread more berries on it.

• Now pour the custard, spreading it all over the brioche.
• Press with a spatula so that all the brioche is soaked in the custard. Keep aside for 10 minutes to let the custard soak in the brioche.

• Now place the baking pan in the air fryer tray/basket.

• Set the air fryer to 330F for 15-20 minutes or until the custard is set in the middle. Insert a knife and check. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: If you use a deeper/larger baking pan, you might need to cook for about 30 minutes.

• Sift some powdered sugar on the top for a fantastic look on the pudding.
• Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup or vanilla ice cream. This is entirely optional, but we loved it.

How to make Bread Pudding in the Instant Pot?

• I used a 6-inch round baking tin to make bread pudding in the instant pot. You can also use a baking pan like the one used in the air fryer in the instant pot. Basically, any oven-safe pan will work.
• Follow the same steps above to assemble the pudding in the baking pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil so the condensation does not go into the pudding.
• Add 1.5 cups of water to the instant pot steel insert and place a trivet with handles (or use a long foil sling on a trivet). Put the covered baking pan on the trivet. Close the Instant Pot with the vent in the sealing position.
• Cook on Manual or Pressure Cook mode at high pressure for 30 mins. When the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then, release the pressure manually.

• Open the Instant Pot, carefully lift the trivet with the pan, and take it out.
• Insert a knife to check if the pudding has cooked through. If it comes out sticky, pressure cook for an additional 5 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• Sift sugar and enjoy with a drizzle of maple syrup!

This is a perfect dessert for a little treat for two…maybe a Valentine’s Day breakfast, along with these fudgy brownies for dessert!

If you are making it for entertaining, you might want to double or triple the recipe in a large baking dish baked in the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the center is set.

You can serve this pudding warm or cold. We prefer it warm with some fresh berries on the side. You can use the microwave or the air fryer to reheat it quickly.

More Desserts You’ll Love

Desserts

3-Ingredient Strawberry Sorbet

Oven Recipes

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Desserts

4-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse (Easy, No Eggs Recipe)

Desserts

Gluten-free Almond Flour Brownies