Description
A rich and comforting bread pudding with tart Granny Smith apples, crunchy walnuts, and sweet dried cranberries, soaked in a spiced custard and topped with a luscious homemade caramel sauce.
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 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Add Later
- 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 oven to 350 degrees F. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread cubes into an even layer 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 9×13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolk, applesauce, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom, and salt until fully combined; set aside.
- Combine Bread Mixture. In a large bowl, toss the toasted bread cubes, chopped apples, walnuts, and dried cranberries together. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish evenly.
- Add Custard and Rest. Pour the custard over the bread mixture, then let it sit for a couple of minutes. Press down gently using your hands to fully submerge the bread. Allow the casserole to rest for 15 minutes to soak.
- Add Butter and Bake. Evenly distribute the cubed butter over the top of the soaked bread mixture. 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 the bread pudding from the oven and cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes before serving.
- Prepare Caramel Sauce. While the pudding cools, melt 12 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and heavy cream, whisking continuously until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is heated through. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract. The sauce can be made ahead and reheated with additional heavy cream added if thickened.
- Serve. Drizzle desired amount of warm caramel sauce over the bread pudding slices and serve warm.
Notes
- If omitting the caramel sauce, increase the total sugar in the custard to 1 cup for proper sweetness.
- Store leftover bread pudding tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, cool completely then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil; freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat in microwave in 30 second increments or in oven covered with foil at 325 degrees F for 10-20 minutes.
- For best texture, prep components separately and assemble just before baking to avoid sogginess.
- Caramel sauce can be made several days in advance and stored airtight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
