Description
This delicious Bread Pudding with Apples combines tender brioche bread, tart Granny Smith apples, crunchy walnuts, and dried cranberries soaked in a rich spiced custard and baked to perfection. Served warm with a luscious homemade caramel sauce, it's a comforting dessert perfect for gatherings or special occasions.
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
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 oven 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 baking dish. Whisk all custard ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Combine bread mixture: In a large bowl, toss the toasted bread cubes, chopped apples, walnuts, and dried cranberries to combine. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Add custard and rest: Pour the custard over the bread mixture, let it sit for a couple minutes, then press down on the bread with your hands to fully submerge it. Let the casserole rest for 15 minutes, then evenly top with cubed butter.
- Bake the pudding: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 55 minutes or until edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no raw custard. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving.
- Make caramel sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and heavy cream, whisk until sugar dissolves and sauce is heated through. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Reheat gently before serving if made ahead, adding extra cream if sauce thickens.
- Serve: Pour desired amount of caramel sauce over warm bread pudding and serve immediately.
Notes
- If omitting caramel sauce, increase sugar in custard to a total of 1 cup to maintain sweetness.
- Store leftover bread pudding covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, cool completely then wrap well in plastic wrap and foil; freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat in microwave starting with 30 seconds then additional 10 second intervals as needed.
- For reheating in oven, cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees F for 10-20 minutes depending on portion size.
- For best texture, assemble bread and nuts ahead of time but add apples and custard just before baking.
- Caramel sauce can be made days ahead and kept refrigerated in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
