Bread pudding — the dessert that turns leftover stale bread into a sweet, fruity, brandy-soaked treat. Especially good as a "faux Christmas pudding" — the boiled-pudding effect from the camp oven moisture creates exactly the right texture for that festive tradition without 8 hours of steaming.

30-40 minute camp oven bake. Generous servings. Serve with cream OR custard OR ice cream.

Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash

Serves: 6-8 · Prep: 15 minutes (+ 2 hours optional fridge soak) · Cook: 30-40 minutes · Equipment: camp oven OR Dutch oven OR ovenproof baking dish

Photo: Stella He / Unsplash

• 20 slices stale bread (white or wholemeal — sourdough works beautifully)
• 500ml orange juice OR mandarin juice
• 2 eggs, separated
• 60g brown sugar
• ⅔ cup mixed dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants, mixed peel) + a few glace cherries
• 60ml brandy OR rum (optional — kid-friendly without)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• ⅓ cup self-raising flour
• Extra butter for greasing

Optional add-ins: 1 tsp vanilla extract; grated zest of 1 orange; 50g chopped walnuts; pinch nutmeg.

To serve: hot custard (the classic), thick cream, vanilla ice cream, OR brandy butter.

1. Remove crusts from bread (cube + save as croutons for tomorrow's salad — don't waste).

2. Soak the bread in the orange juice. Pour juice over the bread in a big bowl, mash with a fork or your hands until soft + mushy. Let it sit 5-10 minutes to fully absorb.

3. Separate the eggs. Yolks in a small bowl; whites in another (clean, dry — no fat or yolk contamination).

4. Mash + mix. To the bread mixture add: egg yolks, brown sugar, mixed fruit, brandy (if using), cinnamon, allspice, melted butter + flour. Mix really well — should be uniformly mushy.

5. Optional — chill 1-2 hours. If you have time, refrigerate the mixture so the brandy soaks into the dried fruit. Bigger flavour. Skip if pressed.

6. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold gently into the bread mixture using a folding motion (don't deflate the air — that's what gives the pudding lift).

7. Butter + flour the camp oven generously. Pour the mixture in.

8. Cook on VERY LOW heat for 30-40 minutes — until the top is deep golden brown.

Camp oven over coals: minimal coals underneath, more on top. Don't be tempted to turn up the heat — burns the bottom + leaves the middle raw.

Gas burner: lowest setting, lid on, with a heat diffuser if you have one.

Kitchen oven: 160°C for 30-40 minutes.

9. The moisture under the lid is GOOD — that's what creates the "boiled pudding" effect. Don't worry if you see condensation pooling.

10. Test with a skewer — should come out clean from the middle. Top should be golden + firm to touch.

11. Serve hot with custard / cream / ice cream poured generously over.

• Stale bread is essential — fresh bread soaks up juice unevenly + becomes gluey. 1-3 days old is ideal
• Type of bread: white sandwich bread (classic), sourdough (best), brioche (luxurious), even leftover hot cross buns or croissants. AVOID rye or seeded breads — overpower the dessert
• Without brandy: kid-friendly version. Substitute extra orange juice. Or add ½ tsp vanilla for warmth
• Christmas pudding alternative — this is genuinely the easiest fake-pudding for festive lunches. 30-40 mins beats 8 hours of steaming
• Dried fruit choices: sultanas, raisins, currants are traditional. Glace cherries add colour. Chopped dates work beautifully. Cranberries for a tarter twist
• Fresh fruit additions: diced apple (½ apple), pear, peach. Add with the dried fruit
• Nuts: chopped walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts add texture (50g)
• Brown sugar to white: 1:1 swap; brown adds caramel notes
• Heavier on cinnamon for a Christmas-pudding feel (2 tsp); lighter for a simpler dessert
• Cream sauce with custard powder is the classic Aussie partner
• Leftovers reheat in foil — almost better next day for breakfast (with cream + extra fruit)

The dessert that turns waste into wonder. Stale bread becomes the star. Old-school comfort food at its absolute best — warm, sweet, fruity, generous, and topped with custard.

Make it as a Christmas alternative for camping festive trips, or just to use up the bread that didn't get eaten. Either way, the smell drifts through camp + brings everyone over for seconds. Keep the recipe in your camp pantry kit — handy any time you've got bread to use up.