May Celebration Comfort: Just 4 ingredients. I make it when I want dessert handled hours ahead of the party.

This 4-ingredient slow cooker May celebration dessert is the kind of thing I put on in the late morning so dessert is quietly taking care of itself while I fuss with the main meal. It’s a warm, caramel-soaked bread pudding that tastes like the church basement potlucks of my childhood, when every aunt had her own way with brown sugar and butter. The slow cooker turns simple pantry staples into a bubbling golden-amber pudding, all glossy and steamy under the lid, so by the time guests arrive the house smells like a small-town bakery. It’s perfect for graduations, Mother’s Day, or any May get-together when you want comfort on the table without being chained to the oven.

Serve this dessert warm, spooned straight from the slow cooker into small bowls. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream melts into the hot caramel sauce and makes it feel extra celebratory. Coffee, hot or iced, pairs beautifully with the buttery sweetness, and for a spring touch you can scatter a few fresh berries on the side. It’s rich enough to stand on its own, so keep any extras simple and let the caramel and custardy bread be the star.

Servings: 8

8 cups day-old French bread or brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 standard loaf)

Prepare the slow cooker: Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with butter or nonstick spray. This helps the dessert release easily and keeps the edges from sticking as the caramel bubbles.

Arrange the bread: Place the bread cubes into the greased slow cooker crock, spreading them out evenly but without packing them down too tightly. You want a little room between the cubes so the custard and caramel can soak in.

Heat the milk: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the whole milk until it is steaming and small bubbles form around the edge, but do not let it boil. Turn off the heat and set aside while you make the caramel mixture.

Make the caramel mixture: In another medium saucepan, combine the salted butter pieces and the brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently but constantly, until the butter melts and the mixture becomes a smooth, glossy, bubbling caramel-like sauce, 3 to 5 minutes. It should look like a thick, golden-amber syrup.

Combine milk with caramel: Slowly and carefully whisk the warm milk into the hot brown sugar-butter mixture, adding a little at a time and whisking continuously. The mixture will bubble up at first, so pour steadily but not too fast. Continue whisking until everything is fully combined into a smooth, pourable caramel custard base.

Pour over the bread: Slowly pour the warm caramel-milk mixture evenly over the bread cubes in the slow cooker, trying to wet all the pieces. Gently press the top layer of bread down with the back of a spoon so the cubes start to soak up the liquid. Let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes so the bread absorbs some of the custard before cooking.

Cook low and slow: Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, or until the dessert is puffed, the edges are set and caramelized, and the center is just set but still a little soft and custardy. You should see a bubbling golden-amber glaze around the edges and some steam escaping when you lift the lid briefly.

Check for doneness: To test, insert a knife or spoon into the center. It should come out with thick, moist custard and soft bread but not with thin, runny liquid. The top will look glossy and caramelized, with some darker golden spots where the sugar has bubbled up.

Hold warm for serving: Once done, switch the slow cooker to the WARM setting. Keep the lid slightly ajar for 10 to 15 minutes to let a bit of steam escape and thicken the sauce. You can hold it on WARM for up to 1 1/2 to 2 hours before serving, making it easy to have dessert handled well ahead of your party.

Serve: Spoon the warm caramel bread pudding into bowls, making sure to scoop from the bottom to catch plenty of the bubbling caramel sauce. Serve as-is or with ice cream or whipped cream, and enjoy while it’s still warm and fragrant.

For a cinnamon-leaning version, you can sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon over the bread before pouring on the caramel mixture, though this technically adds a fifth ingredient. A splash of vanilla extract stirred into the caramel-milk mixture is also lovely if you don’t mind stretching past the four-ingredient idea. To make it feel a bit lighter for a spring gathering, use half whole milk and half 2% milk; just know it will be slightly less rich. If you need to serve a smaller group, halve the recipe and use a smaller slow cooker, checking for doneness 30 to 45 minutes earlier. For a sturdier texture that slices more cleanly, let the cooked dessert stand in the slow cooker with the heat off and lid off for about 20 minutes before serving. Leftovers should be cooled, then refrigerated in a covered container and eaten within 3 to 4 days; reheat gently in the microwave or in the slow cooker on LOW with a splash of milk. Because this dessert contains milk and spends several hours in the temperature “danger zone” before fully heating through, use the LOW setting as directed and avoid leaving it on warm for more than about 2 hours after cooking. Do not leave the cooked dessert at room temperature for more than 2 hours; promptly refrigerate leftovers. Always make sure the milk is fresh and the slow cooker is clean and in good working order before you begin.