Can you use flour instead of bread when making pudding?

You can't directly use flour instead of bread in a traditional bread pudding. Here's why:

* Texture: Bread pudding relies on the bread absorbing the custard mixture and becoming soft and custardy. Flour would simply form a thick, gluey paste.

* Structure: Bread provides a framework for the pudding. Flour doesn't have the same structural integrity to hold the custard.

* Flavor: Bread adds a subtle sweetness and a slight chewiness to the pudding. Flour would lack these characteristics.

However, there are ways to incorporate flour into a pudding-like dessert:

* Flour-based Custards: You can make a custard-like pudding using flour as a thickener. This is common in many recipes like crème brûlée or flan.

* Adding Flour to Bread Pudding: You can add a small amount of flour to your bread pudding batter for extra thickness and texture. This is often done when using stale bread that doesn't absorb as much custard.

Bottom line: While flour won't directly replace bread in a traditional bread pudding, you can use it in other dessert recipes to create similar textures and flavors.