Oh, you guys!
This recipe.
I think it’s my new favorite.
I know I’ve said this before, but I nearly ate the whole thing in one sitting. It’s just so perfect.
I had to fight Chuck for the last bites. I won.
Apple bread pudding came about because I was craving something apple-y. Tis the season after all. However, I wanted something that I could sink my teeth into a little more than a pie or a crisp. Does that make sense? I wanted something with some heft. I was looking up recipes for apple dumplings and promptly realized that those things are way too much work right now. I’ve got a teething baby on my hands, this dessert needed to be something I can whip up fast and pop in the oven.
Enter bread pudding.
It’s one of those things that hangs out in the back of my mind all the time, but I never actually make it. This time I did, and oh man was I glad for it. It’s so good. It’s hefty without being too rich like some deserts are. It’s got a lot of flavor, and then there’s that drizzle of hot caramel sauce over the top that just perfects it.
Of course, this would also be a great vehicle for ice cream, or a sweetened whipped cream, depending on your preference. Honestly, I think it’s perfect without it, but that’s just me.
I think this will be something that happens on repeat around here. It’s bread baking weather anyway, so there should be plenty of bread around to use. I used leftover sourdough bread, but just about any stale bread will work wonderfully.
- About 4-5 cups stale bread, cubed
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 apple
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp cold butter
- caramel sauce for serving
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Place the cubed bread in a greased 9” x 13” casserole dish.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon together in a small bowl, and pour over the bread. Toss well to coat.
- Add the apples and toss again.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and flour, fold in the butter and mix until a crumble forms. Sprinkle the butter mixture over the top of the bread and apples.
- Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
- Serve Warm with caramel drizzle.
