Bread and Butter Pudding Recipe For Diabetes Day

This easy bread and butter pudding will become your new favourite go-to dessert! As it is low in refined sugar, it can be suitable for people living with diabetes, or for anyone who is trying to cut back on sugar but still wants a delicious dessert to make and share with loved ones.

What makes this bread and butter pudding healthier than the traditional kind? We’ve only included wholesome ingredients, including wholemeal bread and natural sweetness in the form of fruit. While maple syrup is included in this recipe, simply decrease the amount you include if you feel like that better suits your needs.

November 14 is World Diabetes Day and to help create awareness around this important day, we’ve decided to dedicate this blog to discussing the topic of diabetes, as well as share a healthier version of bread and butter pudding for you to try!

Bread And Butter Pudding Recipe

This easy bread and butter pudding recipe is a healthier take on the original dessert and is a delicious option to bake and share with loved ones. 

Depending on your needs, you can play around with the serving sizes. Currently, this recipe makes 8 serves — if you live with diabetes or are making this for someone who lives with this condition, this may be something to be mindful of when considering the serving size for one person.

Prep time: 15 mins    

Cook time: 50 mins    

Total time: 65 mins

Serves: 8

Dietary Preferences: Vegetarian

Ingredients:

• 8 slices wholemeal bread, cut into triangles

• 1 large pear, quartered and finely sliced

• 100g frozen blackberries

• 3 eggs

• 80ml pure maple syrup

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• 250ml low-fat milk

• 200g low-fat plain yoghurt + more to serve

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• pinch of salt

• 60g walnuts, chopped

• oil spray 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and spray a 1.5L ovenproof dish with oil spray.

2. To make the custard, place the eggs, maple syrup, ground spices, milk, yoghurt, zest, vanilla extract and salt in a small bowl and mix until well combined.

3. Heat a small non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Add the walnuts and cook for 4-5 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring frequently. 

4. Layer the bread, sliced pear, blackberries and walnuts in the prepared dish. Evenly pour over the custard, ensuring that all the bread is covered. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes.

5. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the custard has set. If the pudding browns too quickly, cover with foil halfway through the cooking time.

6. To serve, place the bread and butter pudding in a serving bowl and top with the yoghurt. Enjoy!

What is diabetes?

Living with diabetes is different for every person. Diabetes occurs when your body does not make insulin, or when the insulin that is produced by the pancreas does not work properly. This can cause an individual’s blood glucose levels to rise and this can lead to diabetes. 

There are three types of diabetes that an individual can develop; type 1, type 2 and gestational. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and is often a temporary form of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes results from a combination of environmental factors and genetics and can sometimes be prevented or reversed by maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. In contrast, Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented; it is an autoimmune disease. 

Doesn’t diabetes mean no sugar?

You may have first read this bread and butter pudding recipe for Diabetes Day and been confused that it contains sugar. Let us explain.

Living with diabetes is all about managing your blood glucose levels. While this looks different for everyone, a popular misconception about this condition is that people living with it can’t eat any sugary foods, or too much sugary food is what causes diabetes. 

For type 1 and type 2 diabetes, individuals need to try and get their blood glucose levels within a particular range — that is why people often associate living with diabetes with sugar intake. However, it is much more than this.

For people living with diabetes, the key to successful management is monitoring all of their food intake carefully, as well as testing themselves regularly to see what their blood glucose levels are. This can vary from spiking too high to dropping too low — both extremes need to be managed accordingly, otherwise, it can result in a life-threatening situation.

If you or someone close to you are living with diabetes, it is really important to speak with an accredited health practitioner who can help to create an appropriate healthy eating plan.

In a general sense, though, while it is important for people living with diabetes to limit highly sweetened foods such as lollies and processed sweets, it is generally okay to include a small amount of sugar into a balanced diet, like with this bread and butter pudding recipe.

Education is key for healthy living

No matter what your lifestyle, health requirements or schedule, the key to keeping your health on track is educating yourself as much as possible and then making informed choices that best suit you and your needs. 

If you enjoyed this easy bread and butter pudding, make sure you try out some of our other healthier desserts too, like our pumpkin pie recipe!