Description

This bread pudding with apples combines toasted brioche or challah bread cubes with tart Granny Smith apples, walnuts, and dried cranberries, all soaked in a rich spiced custard and baked until golden. Served warm with a luscious homemade caramel sauce, this dessert offers a perfect balance of sweet, fruity, and nutty flavors ideal for cozy gatherings or special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

Bread and Add-Ins

1 16 ounce loaf brioche or challah bread
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and 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

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Instructions

Preheat and Toast Bread: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread them evenly on a baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes until the bread is dried out but not hard or crispy, then remove and set aside.
Prepare Baking Dish and Custard: Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, applesauce, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom, and salt until fully combined.
Combine Bread and Add-Ins: In a large bowl, toss the toasted bread cubes with the chopped apples, walnuts, and dried cranberries. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Pour Custard and Soak: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and fruit in the baking dish. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then press down with your hands to submerge all bread pieces fully. Allow the casserole to rest for 15 minutes to soak up the custard.
Add Butter Cubes: Evenly distribute the cubed Danish Creamery butter over the soaked bread pudding before baking.
Bake: 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. Let the pudding cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes.
Make Caramel Sauce: While the pudding bakes, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and heavy cream, whisking until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is heated through. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Serve: Pour the warm caramel sauce over individual slices of bread pudding and serve warm.

Notes

If omitting the caramel sauce, increase the sugar in the custard to a total of 1 cup for sweetness.
To store leftovers, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.
For freezing, cool completely, wrap well in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat in the microwave starting with 30 seconds, then additional 10-second intervals until warm.
Oven reheating: cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees F for 10-20 minutes until heated through.
For best texture, prep components ahead but assemble right before baking to avoid sogginess.
The caramel sauce can be made days ahead and gently reheated; add extra heavy cream if thickened.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 390 kcal
Sugar: 26 g
Sodium: 150 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 38 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 7 g
Cholesterol: 130 mg