Bread pudding is an underrated dish. It can be made both sweet or savory and requires just a few basic pantry ingredients to bring together. With the holidays around the corner, I wanted to bake up something featuring classic winter flavors that could be easily reheated the next day to serve as a sweet breakfast or an after dinner dessert.
This cranberry apple bread pudding is wonderful. Soft challah bread soaked in a simple custard flavored with apple cider, warm spices and brown sugar and tossed with caramelized apples and tart fresh cranberries is a truly comforting combination.
Served warm with a drizzle of vanilla glaze, it won’t matter how cold it is outside, because this deliciously sweet bread pudding will warm you right up. Let’s get started…
Begin by adding 2 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan over medium to medium high heat. Bring the cider to a simmer, reduce the heat a little and let it simmer until the cider has reduced to around a cup. Reducing the cider before adding it to the bread pudding will help to decrease the amount of liquid and increase the intensity of the apple ciders flavor.
While the cider is reducing, we are going to cook the apples. Cooking the apples before adding them into the bread pudding helps to bring out the excess moisture in the fresh apples and add some beautiful caramelized flavors to them very reminiscent of a great apple pie filling.
To caramelize the apples, peel and dice 4 large crisp apples (I am using cosmic apples today, but any sweet, firm apples will work great!). Add 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat and once the butter has melted, add the diced apples along with a 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Cook the apples until almost all of the liquid has evaporated from the skillet and the apples begin to caramelize. This should take about 15 minutes. Once the apples are caramelized, set them aside to cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Now that the cider is simmering away and the apples are caramelizing, slice a small loaf of challah into inch sized cubes. You should have about 6 cups of cubed bread, which will require about 14 inches of challah. I am using my own challah recipe, but you can find challah bread at most bakeries. I leave the crust on as it is usually soft and will offer a little texture to your finished bread pudding.
By now your cider should be reduced, your apples caramelized and your challah cubed, so we are ready to assembled the bread pudding….
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of whole milk with 2 cups of heavy cream, 5 eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon of all spice, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the reduced apple cider.
Whisk until all of the eggs and sugar are fully incorporated and then add the cubed challah.
Gently press the challah down until it has all soaked up some of the custard. While the challah soaks in the custard, prepare a 9″x13″ deep baking dish by greasing with softened butter or spraying with your favorite non-stick spray.
After the challah has soaked in the custard for about 15 minutes, add the cooked apples and fresh cranberries and mix until they are evenly distributed and carefully transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Drizzle 3 tablespoons of melted butter over the top of the bread pudding to help it stay moist and brown nicely. The butter is optional, but highly recommended. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center of the bread pudding feels slightly set.
Transfer the bread pudding onto a heat proof surface or cooling rack to sit for 10 minutes before serving. This will help the custard set up, so none of that goodness is left behind.
This cranberry bread pudding is definitely fantastic as is, but if you are interested in making a simple vanilla drizzle to serve it with, whisk a cup of confectioners sugar with a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Add 2-3 teaspoons of whole milk or heavy cream to create a drizzle-like consistency.
All there is left to do is to scoop out a corner of that warm cranberry apple bread pudding, drizzle with vanilla glaze and treat yourself to a truly delightful dessert.
The apples are soft and sweet, the cranberries have burst open and add a subtly tart note to every other bite and the challah is full of creamy custard with notes of vanilla, brown sugar and apple cider. This delicious dish is the perfect Christmas morning treat or post dinner dessert. Left overs can be warmed and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of whipped cream.
Happy baking everyone!
Cranberry Apple Bread Pudding
Ingredients
Cranberry Apple Bread Pudding
- 2 cups of apple cider, reduced to a cup
- 4 large crisp apples, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 6 cups of challah, cubed
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon of all spice
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 3 tablepoons of salted butter, melted
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup of confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- 2-3 teaspoons of whole milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Reduce the apple cider...
- Add 2 cups of apple cider into a saucepan over medium heat to medium high heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce the het slightly and simmer until the cider has reduced to about a cup. Set aside to cool
Caramelize the apples...
- Place 2 tablespoons of butter into a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the peeled and diced apples along with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Cook until the apples natural liquid has evaporated and they are tender and lightly caramelized. Set aside and allow the apples to cool
Assemble the bread pudding...
- Combine 1 cup of whole milk with 2 cups of heavy cream, 5 eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon of all spice, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the reduced apple cider in a large bowl and whisk until fully combined
- Add the cubed challah, gently press it down into the custard and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Add the cooked apples and fresh cranberries and mix to evenly distribute
- Grease a 9”x13” deep baking dish with softened butter or non-stick cooking spray and carefully transfer the challah and custard into the prepared dish
- Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of melted butter and bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and slight set in the center
- Transfer the baking dish to a heat proof surface for 10 minutes before serving
Make the vanilla glaze...
- Make the vanilla glaze by whisking 1 cup of confectioners sugar with a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Add enough whole milk or heavy cream to create a drizzlable consistency (2-3 teaspoons)
- Serve warm topped with vanilla glaze, ice cream or whipped cream
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.
