Even though bread pudding is one of the tastiest desserts ever, you still need to store it in the refrigerator. But, does bread pudding need to be refrigerated? Learn how to properly store your bread pudding and for how long before doing so to ensure that you can enjoy it for a long time.
A refrigerator is the safest place to store bread pudding because it will keep for a very long time there. However, you can keep bread pudding at room temperature for three days. Your bread pudding will stay fresher if you store it in the refrigerator because bacteria can grow in any food stored at a temperature higher than 40 degrees.
However, a lot of people think that since pudding is already cold, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated. This needs to be refrigerated for two reasons, including the fact that it is only partially true.
First, because custard sauce recipes are considered egg-based and should always be chilled rather than served at room temperature, bread pudding requires refrigeration.
Second, placing Bread Pudding in the refrigerator will help control the moisture level with less expansion and a decreased risk of spillage.
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How to Store Bread Pudding?
Place the bread pudding in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap before putting it in the fridge after allowing it to cool to room temperature. The dessert should be covered to avoid cross-contamination and to prevent it from drying out and absorbing any smells.
Bread pudding is an exceptionally moist baked good, so if it is left out on the counter it will quickly begin to mold.
Of course, bread pudding tastes best when it is warm, so reheating it before serving is always a good idea (more on that later). It won’t work if you simply take it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before eating.
Should You Store Bread Pudding Topped Or Not?
Depending entirely on the sauce or topping you’re using on your bread pudding, that question can only be answered in part.
When adding ice cream to a dessert, do so just before serving. It goes without saying that if you leave it in the refrigerator, it will completely melt.
You should prepare the topping freshly and add it just before serving if it doesn’t keep well without losing quality.
Homemade whipped cream is a good illustration of this. Homemade whipped cream only keeps its quality for about a day if you don’t stabilize it. By doing so, you effectively reduce the bread pudding’s storage time from 48 to 16 hours.
Last but not least, if it’s a custard sauce or another that keeps well in the fridge, you can whip up a fresh portion just before serving, add it to your bread pudding before storage, or store it separately in a sealed container. That’s your call.
Does Bread Pudding Need to Be Refrigerated?
After the bread pudding has cooled to room temperature, it should be chilled. That’s because it is a very moist dessert that is heavily laden with milk and eggs.
As you are probably aware, mold will grow if there is moisture and room temperature storage. We want to avoid that, which is why you should keep bread pudding in the refrigerator.
Although I’ve read in a few places that you can leave it on the counter for a few days, I wouldn’t take the chance. The following day, it might as well be moldy.
Furthermore, the majority of trustworthy recipe websites and bloggers advise chilling the leftovers (here, Preppy Kitchen, Fantabulosity, and Life, Love, and Sugar discuss bread pudding).
How Long Does Bread Pudding Last?
The texture of leftover bread pudding improves the sooner you consume it; it keeps for about 4 days in the refrigerator.
The typical advice for storing leftover perishable foods is four days. However, if you look at the recipes online, some suggest up to 5 days of storage, so adding an extra day to that time frame is an option.
The leftovers can always be frozen if you require more time. If you’re interested, I wrote an entire article about freezing bread pudding for our sister website CanYouFreezeThis.com.
How Long Can Bread Pudding Sit Out?
You can leave bread pudding out at room temperature for up to two hours before it becomes unsafe to eat. Additionally, that time frame is reduced to just an hour if the temperature is higher than 90°F (32°C).
Because bread pudding is a very moist dessert that needs refrigeration, the 2-hour rule for storing perishable food also applies to it.
(In case you were wondering, it also holds true for pizza leftovers.)
Because of this, you should always try to cool freshly baked bread pudding as soon as you can so that you can put it in the fridge within two hours of taking it out of the oven.
Of course, whether you adhere to this guideline to the letter or not is entirely up to you.
I’m trying to be reasonable for myself. Therefore, I assume it will be fine if I accidentally leave bread pudding out on the counter for three hours before chilling it. However, if I unintentionally leave it outside over night, I discard it because it is no longer secure.
How to Tell If Bread Pudding is Bad?
Discard bread pudding if:
- It’s moldy. If you notice any signs of white fuzzy mold growing on the surface, the dessert is gone. For such a moist baked good, cutting out the spoiled portion and eating the rest is not a good idea.
- In any other way, it smells off or sour.Assume it is spoiled if it smells strange.
- More than five days are spent storing it.Following that time, your bread pudding may appear to be fine, but it is no longer safe to eat. It’s best to err on the side of caution because the early signs of spoilage frequently go undetected.
As usual, if you’re unsure whether the dessert is still safe to eat, throw it out. I’d rather be safe than sorry.
FAQs on Do You Need to Refrigerate Bread Pudding
Can You Get Food Poisoning from Bread Pudding?
Yes, bread pudding can make you sick. According to the legal health officials’ investigation into the incident, the bread pudding with vanilla sauce contained eggs that were a possible source of salmonella enteritis. Being a dangerous bacteria, that is what causes the illnesses.
Can Bread Pudding Be Left Unrefrigerated?
No, the bread pudding shouldn’t be kept out of the fridge for an extended period of time. It is acceptable to let food sit out without refrigeration if you eat it within two hours. Keeping it in the refrigerator will help it last longer if it takes longer.
Is Bread Pudding Good the Next Day?
The bread pudding is still good the next day if you use the best storage techniques. All you need to do is bake the bread pudding and store it in the fridge for one to two days. After removing it from the refrigerator, you can also reheat it in the oven or microwave.
Summary: Does Bread Pudding Need to Be Refrigerated?
Can Bread Pudding Get Bad? Does Bread Pudding Need to Be Refrigerated? and other kinds of questions are also discussed clearly in this guide. Do you want to guard against any type of spoilage for your break pudding? Try to always consume healthy bread pudding by adhering to the aforementioned rules.
Also, check other baked goods articles like How Long Does Pita Bread Last or How to Store Muffins for a clear idea of storing, baking, reheating, and shelf life of various pieces of bread. Save our website to your favorites to view the most recent food-related news.
