Apple Bread Pudding
Apple Bread Pudding is a fantastic dish to prep the night before for company or holiday breakfasts; also great for dessert. We love it served with a Bourbon Caramel Sauce.
I still get a couple of food magazines delivered to me each month; I enjoy reading actual magazines when I find a few moments to relax and my most recent browsing led me to this Apple Bread Pudding served with caramel sauce.
I recently started to read the Summer 2017 issue of Southern Living and this recipe using peaches sounded divine but alas…not a fresh peach in sight. So it took a nano second to decide that it would be equally good with apples.
If I’m honest this happened several weeks ago when we were smack dab in the middle of fall and while I made the dish and photographed it; other items took precedence and I’ve been remiss to not have shared this sooner.
I remember how my oldest daughter Emily loved bread pudding; she made sure to share that with me whenever she had some…at someone else’s house. It never appealed to me, the idea of bread and eggs and milk mixed until the bread was soaked and then baked. I apologize Emily.
The first time I tried it was a couple of years ago when I was inspired to try a recipe with booze in it. I know, I am a creature of habit but I like a bit more flavor than the cinnamon a lot of those old-fashioned standard recipes used to include.
So this worked for me…bread pudding with apples and pecans and then topped with a Bourbon Caramel Sauce. YES bourbon! OK…I was game. And it delivered.
I did make this for a holiday birthday breakfast but beyond special breakfasts or brunches I think it would be equally divine for dessert. That bourbon caramel sauce is a decadent touch for sure and you can skip it…but I wouldn’t!
I’m reminded that years ago there were basically two types of apples available at the market. Red Delicious for eating fresh out of your hand, and Granny Smith for baking.
While Red Delicious used to be fine, they are my least favorite today and should never be used for baking; they are too soft. I never really enjoyed the tartness of those Granny Smith apples and now love that we can find a variety that work for both.
My favorite apple is a Honey Crisp; it is a great apple to munch on, not too sweet either but with a nice firm flesh that makes for a good bite. The best part is that it also holds up well when baking. In lieu of finding them, I usually resort to a Gala or Fuji apple; they are similar in that I like them both fresh and in baked desserts.
Even if it’s a bit late in the season, I still think it’s a great recipe to share now. I continue to see a wide range of apples at the market and more importantly? Most of the preparation is done the night before you plan to enjoy this dish for breakfast…makes for a really simple morning routine and who doesn’t love that with company and holidays colliding very soon?
Want more? I’ve got a couple of other favorites to make ahead for a breakfast dish. All of them are delightful!
- Bourbon Caramel Sauce (great on this bread pudding)
- Gooey Butter Cake Overnight French Toast
- Pumpkin Pecan Overnight French Toast with Bourbon
- Blueberry and Cream Cheese Overnight Stuffed French Toast
- Blackberry and Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast
PIN IT! ‘Apple Bread Pudding’
Apple Bread Pudding (with Bourbon Caramel Sauce)
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs separated
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 16 ounces French bread or Challah, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 11 1/2 cups)
- 4 apples Honey Crisp suggested
- 4 tablespoons butter cut into small pieces, plus more for dish
For Garnish
- ½ cup pecans chopped and lightly toasted
- bourbon caramel sauce or use regular store bought caramel sauce. See Notes for Bourbon Caramel Sauce.
Instructions
- Whisk together egg yolks, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, 2 cups heavy cream, and 2/3 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Add bread pieces, and toss to coat pieces evenly. Cover and chill 8 to 12 hours to allow bread to absorb the liquid.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Chop apples. (You will have about 6 1/2 cups.)
- Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
- Remove soaked bread from refrigerator; stir in 4 tablespoons butter pieces and chopped apples.
- Fold in whipped egg whites until combined.
- Transfer mixture to a well-greased (with butter) 13- x 9-inch baking dish or a large cast-iron skillet. Cover loosely with aluminum foil, and bake in preheated oven until it puffs in the center, about 45 minutes.
- Remove foil, and bake until the top is lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Serve bread pudding with chopped pecans scattered on top and optional bourbon caramel sauce.
I would love to make this bread pudding recipe, but it’s missing the caramel bourbon sauce recipe
I linked to it in the body of the post is a separate recipe, I should have made that clear in the recipe area too though, so thanks for the heads up.
https://creative-culinary.com/best-salted-caramel-sauce-bourbon-recipe/
I mostly don’t get food magazines these days (I still subscribe to the online version of _Cook’s Illustrated_ although I only log on maybe twice a year, and then read a bunch at once). Still bitter after the demise of _Gourmet_! Nothing comes close to that. Anyway, bread pudding is wonderful any time of the year! This looks terrific — thanks.