054 / 75 · A Small Sweet Finish

Skillet Banana and Chocolate Bread Pudding

3 small dessert portions · Active 15 min · Total 40 min

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Banana, bread and a few chocolate pieces become a small covered-skillet pudding without an oven. The bottom turns lightly golden while the top sets in steam. Use low heat and a close-fitting lid; this is gentle stovetop cooking rather than frying a sweet omelette.

Jump to ingredients

Banana and chocolate skillet bread pudding.

Let the bread drink first

Slightly stale bread takes up the milk-and-egg mixture well, but it should still be fresh enough to eat and free of mold. Cut into small cubes and soak for five minutes before cooking. Banana adds moisture and sweetness, so the custard needs only a little sugar. Chocolate belongs in small pieces that melt into pockets rather than forming one solid layer on the pan.

A lid supplies the oven effect

Butter the skillet, add the soaked bread and cook over low heat with the lid on. If the burner is too fierce, use the smallest approved burner or a suitable heat diffuser recommended for the appliance. Do not improvise unstable layers under the pan. The center should be set and reach 160°F/71°C. Check below the surface, where custard can remain liquid even after the base smells toasted.

Serve softly, not in perfect wedges

A short rest helps the pudding hold together, but it is meant to be spooned. The top will not have an oven-browned crust, and that is expected. Serve warm while the chocolate is soft. Transfer leftovers promptly to a shallow container rather than leaving the heavy skillet to cool slowly for hours.

Ingredients

  • 4 oz sturdy bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (115 g)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk (180 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (12 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ripe banana, sliced (120 g peeled)
  • 1 oz dark chocolate, chopped (30 g)
  • 1 tablespoon butter (14 g)

Set out

8-inch nonstick skillet with tight lid, Mixing bowl, Instant-read thermometer

Allergens

Wheat, Egg, Milk. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Whisk eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla. Fold in bread and leave 5 minutes. Fold in banana and chocolate.
  2. Melt butter in the skillet over low heat, coating the base and sides. Add bread mixture evenly.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 15–20 minutes until the center is set and reaches 160°F/71°C. Check the base is not scorching; lower heat if needed.
  4. Remove from heat, stand covered for 5 minutes and serve warm with a spoon.

A small pan is deliberate

A wider pan makes a thin pudding that can scorch before setting. Keep the specified size or adjust the recipe rather than spreading the mixture over a large grill pan.

A useful detail

The top remains pale because it is steamed, not grilled. A browned base alone does not prove the custard has set.

Another way

  • Use 2 tablespoons raisins instead of chocolate.
  • Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon to the custard.

Keep it well

Refrigerate shallow portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 2 days. Reheat gently to 165°F/74°C. Keep chilled until reheating.