Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Dessert Sauce

ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray or butter, for greasing
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract9 large egg yolks
• 3 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
• 1 medium loaf challah bread (preferably stale), cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
• Caramel Dessert Sauce, recipe follows
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

CARAMEL DESSERT SAUCE:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, whole milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla and egg yolks and set aside.

Add the cubed apples, pecans and cubed bread to the prepared baking dish and toss to combine. Pour the custard over the bread and apple pieces. Carefully toss to coat, making sure that the cubed bread is submerged in the custard, and let stand to allow the bread to soak up the custard, 10 to 15 minutes.

Bake until the center has set, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle Caramel Dessert Sauce over the bread pudding. Serve with extra sauce and vanilla ice cream.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, buttermilk and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and slowly add the baking soda (it will foam up), followed by the vanilla and cinnamon. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve warm.