Description
This delicious Bread Pudding With Apples features toasted brioche bread cubes combined with tart Granny Smith apples, crunchy walnuts, and dried cranberries, all soaked in a rich spiced custard. Baked to perfection and served warm with a luscious caramel sauce, this dessert is perfect for cozy gatherings or holiday meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Add-Ins
- 1 16 ounce loaf brioche or challah bread
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, chopped ¼-inch
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
Custard
- 5 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup applesauce (regular, not unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Additional
- 4 tablespoons Danish Creamery Butter, cubed
Caramel Sauce
- 12 tablespoons Danish Creamery Butter
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Toast Bread: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the brioche or challah bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread the cubes evenly on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes or until dried out but not hard or crispy.
- Prepare Baking Dish and Custard: Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, applesauce, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom, and salt until fully combined. Set aside.
- Combine Bread Mixture: In a large bowl, toss together the toasted bread cubes, chopped apples, walnuts, and dried cranberries. Transfer this mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Soak Bread in Custard: Pour the custard evenly over the bread mixture in the baking dish. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to begin soaking, then gently press the bread down with your hands to fully submerge it. Let the casserole rest for 15 minutes to allow the custard to absorb fully.
- Add Butter and Bake: After resting, evenly distribute the cubed butter over the top of the pudding. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 55 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no raw custard.
- Cool Before Serving: Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Make Caramel Sauce: While the pudding cools, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and heavy cream and whisk until sugar dissolves and the sauce is hot. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. The sauce can be made ahead and reheated with a bit of extra cream if needed.
- Serve: Pour the desired amount of warm caramel sauce over the bread pudding slices and serve immediately.
Notes
- If omitting the caramel sauce, increase the total sugar in the custard to 1 cup by adding an extra 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
- Store leftover bread pudding tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- To freeze, cool pudding completely, wrap in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 30-second increments or in the oven covered with foil at 325 degrees F for 10-20 minutes until warm.
- For best texture, prepare bread toasted and combined with nuts and cranberries ahead, but add the apples and custard right before baking.
- Caramel sauce can be made days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator; reheat gently before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 155 mg
