# The full range of things called 'pudding' in the USA **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445 "2024-06-28T14:00:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/21 "2024-06-28T17:10:55Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > _Bread pudding isn’t really pudding-like at all._ There are cheesecake and pumpkin puddings , which I would describe as “filling without a crust”. I’ve seen tiramisu pudding, which basically skips the ladyfingers. _I’ve never heard flan/creme caramel/creme brulee referred to as “pudding”._ > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > “_bread pudding_” and “Yorkshire pudding,” which are their own separate things. My emphases. Bread pudding and flan, etc. are custards. As for Yorkshire pudding, we just don’t have an American name for it. So it falls within the British English (BE) usage. Then again, there’s an egg-based dish I like to make for breakfast on weekends, which apparently is similar to a very large Yorkshire pudding, and which is called in the US a “German pancake” or a “Dutch baby.” So apparently something called pudding in BE can be called a “pancake” or a “baby” in the US. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/22 "2024-06-28T17:44:51Z")
It’s probably one of those false anachronisms they like to use for Mr. Burns, but there’s a kernel of truth to it, in that there are basically two types of ice cream- the kind made from milk, cream, and sugar, and the kind that’s basically a thin custard made with eggs that’s then frozen in an ice cream maker. Some places call it “frozen custard” to differentiate themselves, but it’s still ice cream in the same broad sense that gelato and sherbet are forms of ice cream. So the idea of “frozen pudding wagon” is probably playing off the custard style of ice cream and making it sound quaint and goofy. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/23 "2024-06-28T17:44:57Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > Bread pudding and flan, etc. are custards. The bread pudding I know of is more like a fruit cake where bread is used instead of flour - there is a sort of custard involved in that the wet part of the mix contains milk and eggs, but I wouldn’t describe the end result as anything like a custard. Are you referring to something else? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/24 "2024-06-28T17:49:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And in a few regions of the US, you’ll find a dish that’s sometimes called corn pudding and sometimes called other things, which is somewhat sweet, but which is usually eaten with the main course, not as a dessert. Corn pudding is relatively popular in the South, and is [a staple side dish at many barbecue joints](https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/nashville-bbq-pro-corn-pudding-recipe). ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/25 "2024-06-28T18:05:16Z")
That’s my experience with ‘bread pudding.’ Similar to fruit cake, but without the goodies. Southeastern USA. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/26 "2024-06-28T18:13:24Z")
Around here (Ohio and Pennsylvania), bread pudding is just taking a bunch of old, probably-stale bread, and smushing it together with milk and eggs as a binder and some sugar, and then baking it. It might also have raisins. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/27 "2024-06-28T18:21:20Z")
I always thought bread pudding and rice pudding were precisely analogous: a cooked starch saturated with a custard and cooked until the custard sets (with further thickening contributed by starch). The starch food settles out in the bottom yielding a custard layer on top, if you use enough custard. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/28 "2024-06-28T18:34:24Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Corn pudding is relatively popular in the South, and is [a staple side dish at many barbecue joints](https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/nashville-bbq-pro-corn-pudding-recipe). Wait, you mean corn pudding is an actual thing, and not just something made up for a silly song in _Schmigadoon_? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/29 "2024-06-28T18:59:27Z")
You take that back! (I love that song.) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/30 "2024-06-28T19:17:12Z")
Bread pudding (as opposed to bread and butter pudding) is something that you can cut into squares and pick up. Whilst that’s technically possible with rice pudding, it’s not the normal presentation (in the UK versions I have encountered I should say) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/31 "2024-06-28T19:22:37Z")
My bread pudding is cubed stale bread with egg, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, poured over and baked. My rice pudding is pretty much the same, but with rice instead of bread, heated on the stove until thickened, then cooled. Raisins/dates/figs can be added to either. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/32 "2024-06-28T19:36:02Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > The bread pudding I know of is more like a fruit cake Wow. I would never describe it that way, but I can’t tell if that’s based on minor differences in how it’s prepared–like a “drier” version–or if it’s a bigger difference. > [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > That’s my experience with ‘bread pudding.’ Similar to fruit cake, but without the goodies. Southeastern USA. It makes me wonder about fruitcake too now. > [@Chronos](#): > > bread pudding is just taking a bunch of old, probably-stale bread, and smushing it together with milk and eggs as a binder and some sugar, and then baking it. It might also have raisins. I would say it’s putting stale bread in a dish, making a custard base, and pouring the custard over the stale bread. The bread absorbs the liquid and becomes totally soft. When the custard is set by baking it, the whole thing has a custard texture. Sometimes a bit stiffer, but definitely a custard. > [@Mangetout](#): > > Bread pudding (as opposed to bread and butter pudding) is something that you can cut into squares and pick up. I can’t fully tell, but I think my version might be more like bread and butter pudding? Though I’ve never seen or heard of anyone buttering the bread. I would not want to pick it up, though it might technically be possible. It’s not a cake texture. And the liquid is egg based, not milk based. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/33 "2024-06-28T19:38:41Z")
Brit to U.S. translator: ``` Brit U.S. ----- ----- Pudding Any number of dessert type treats Custard Pudding Biscuit Cookie Scone Biscuit Chip French Fry Crisp Chip ``` Separated by a common language, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/34 "2024-06-28T19:50:08Z")
These are my recipes, too. And both are really custards. And i cut slices of either. I’ve seen a soft “rice pudding” that’s more like tapioca pudding thickened with rice. It’s actually a pudding (in American) and i don’t care for it, so i never make it. Tapioca pudding is also a pudding. “Black pudding” is a sausage, and sometimes it’s called “blood sausage”, which is a better name for it in the US. “Yorkshire pudding” is a British dish like popovers or a Dutch baby, but made with beef tallow instead of butter. It’s not a pudding, it just has “pudding” in the name. I guess that means that a pudding, in my parlance, is a sweet dessert that’s soft and is primarily milk thickened with a starch, plus something to flavor it. By default i assume it’s chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/35 "2024-06-28T19:50:33Z")
Yeah, bread and butter pudding is normally small slices of bread, buttered, arranged in a dish with raisins scattered over it, then an egg custard mix poured over to saturated the bread. Sugar and spices, then baked to set it - texture is wobbly with a crunchy top. > **[Bread and butter pudding](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/bread-butter-pudding)** > > Transform a stale loaf into a comforting bread and butter pudding. This traditional British dessert is layered with a rich vanilla custard, dried fruit and lemon zest Bread pudding is very similar ingredients but different proportions and the bread is torn into small pieces. > **[Bread pudding](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/bread-pudding-0)** > > This simple bake is lovely with a cuppa. Or have it for dessert instead, with custard or ice cream ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/36 "2024-06-28T19:55:36Z")
Oh, and “plum pudding” is a food in British books, old songs, or maybe in operas. I have no idea what it is, but i bet it’s not actually a pudding. I vaguely recall being told it’s not actually plums, too, but maybe I’m getting confused. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/37 "2024-06-28T19:59:48Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Bread pudding (as opposed to bread and butter pudding) is something that you can cut into squares and pick up. You mean that you’d pick it up and eat it with your hands, as opposed to a utensil? That doesn’t match my experience of bread pudding. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/38 "2024-06-28T20:04:18Z")
> [@solost](#): > > ```auto > Brit U.S. > ----- ----- > Pudding Any number of dessert type treats > > ``` The way I understand it, “pudding” in UK usage also refers to the course where those treats are served, which makes it essentially synonymous with “dessert.” Thus, Brits say what sounds to my American ears like “We’re having [food item] for [completely different food item].” “We’re having cake for pudding.” “We’re having scones for tea.” Sounds about as bonkers as… “We’re having brownies for pie.” “We’re having pork chops for sausage.” “We’re having potato chips for beer.” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/39 "2024-06-28T20:10:59Z")
It sounds like you might be describing what is known to me as bread and butter pudding ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445/40 "2024-06-28T20:14:28Z")
Could be, but I don’t remember ever encountering the term “bread and butter pudding.” In my experience, bread pudding (called that) is fairly common in places like cafeterias and buffet restaurants, because it’s a good way to use up leftover bread that’s gone a bit stale. It’s served in a big tray, and you can dish up a bowlful with a serving spoon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-full-range-of-things-called-pudding-in-the-usa/1003445.md?page=3)