Raisin Vanilla Bread Pudding

I began the week with a recipe from my paternal grandmother and I shall end it with one from my maternal grandmother. Many amchi recipes I have inherited from her through Amma. Ammamma, as I would have called her had I met and known her, is supposed to have been a wonderful cook. Appa cannot stop singing praises for her cooking. Amma thinks she may be 50% as good as her mother and I think I may be about 5% of what Amma is. My aim is to get to at least 50% in this lifetime. The thing is that there are many things that I make well, but when it comes to replicating Amma’s recipes, I am never able to replicate the same taste. Mothers’ always have a little pixie dust methinks.


This is one recipe that I have loved from the very first time I tasted it. I learnt how to make it from Amma and would eat it for breakfast at the hostel when I had to rush for French class at 5.45 in the morning. It is supposed to be dessert, but hey, milk and bread’s supposed to be good for you. I made this last week immediately after dinner and we ate it piping hot. I ate the leftovers the next morning for breakfast. Lipsmacking delicious.


The funny thing is that Ammamma didn’t eat bread. So, although she left this fantastic recipe for her youngest granddaughter, she had no idea how great this tastes. (She passed away 3 months before I was born. Next week, it will be 32 years since she passed away.)

I also participated in the Open Sesame event and for the riddle, I was sent this

I am a grass , or am I a cereal or a grain

I am everywhere and in almost all the foods you eat

My whole being used in many ways without restrain

I offer you something which is so hard to beat

I am as old as you can think of me to be

Thought to be originated from the land of camels

I am breakfast, lunch and dinner for all to see

Or be it desserts from cakes , pies to caramels


I am famous all over the world from east to west

As breads, flatbreads , cookies to muffins

I am v healthy and like a treasure chest

For ppl - weight conscious and its healthy kins


Buckle up and take a pen and a paper

I am yellow when alive, brown when put to 'dust'

Eating me makes you look so dapper

Now think hard and tell me what is that grain that we all genuinely trust

I guessed “Wheat” and what do you know, I was right! I am glad this recipe fits in so beautifully.


4 slices Bread, roughly torn
2 cups Milk
3 tbsp Sugar
½ tsp Vanilla
2 tbsp Raisins


Boil the milk with the sugar and the vanilla. Add the raisins and boil for a minute. Place the bread slices in a dish. Pour the milk mixture over the slices. Pressure cook for 1-2 whistles. Serve hot or cold.

This is really one of the simplest desserts I have ever made. It is fat free since I use toned milk from which the fat has been removed. The bread is whole wheat. There is no egg to beat, no butter to melt, no preheating, no lining and dusting. Just good, wholesome, yummy dessert.