Bread pudding is in many cultures.

People make it to avoid wasting old bread.

Bryan Ford has his own version.

It is in his cookbook, “Pan y Dulce.”

He says “old bread” means bread that is one or two days old.

It is dry, not moldy.

Dry bread soaks up the sweet milk and egg mix well.

Then the pudding is moist after baking.

Ford says cooks can use dairy-free milks.

These include almond, soy, oat, or coconut milk.

They can use these instead of whole milk and heavy cream.

Ford writes that he measures ingredients by weight.

He calls this better than using measuring cups and tablespoons.

He notes this needs a cheap digital kitchen scale.

He adds he still included volume conversions.

These are for home bakers who do not weigh ingredients.

The recipe makes eight servings.

It uses day-old bread or pan dulce, milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, coconut, chocolate chips, and other ingredients.

To make it, cube and shred the bread.

Whisk the milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Then add the bread until it is moist.

Mix in the raisins and coconut.

Cover it.

Refrigerate it overnight.

Or let it sit at least 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 F for about 35 minutes.

Top it with chocolate chips and more coconut.

For the sauce, heat granulated sugar, butter, and heavy cream.

Then add vanilla and dark rum.

Let the pudding cool about 15 minutes.

Then serve it warm.

Pour the rum sauce on top.

Ford is an award-winning Honduran-American baker.

He wrote “New World Sourdough.”

He has judged Netflix’s “Blue Ribbon Baking Championship.”

He has hosted shows on Magnolia Network.

He is the executive chef at the Afghan bakery Diljān in Brooklyn Heights, New York.

The recipe is from “Pan y Dulce.”

It is published by Voracious.

Voracious is an imprint of Little, Brown and Company.