Apple Bread Pudding with Quick Caramel

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A rustic Italian-style bread pudding built on genuinely stale country bread — the dry crumb is what lets it drink up a vanilla-lemon custard without turning to mush. Apples are sautéed in butter first so they caramelize instead of steaming, the soak gets a full 30 minutes, and a five-minute caramel goes over the top while everything is still warm. Crisp-edged, custardy in the middle, and forgiving enough for a weeknight.

Ingredients

• 10 oz stale country bread or ciabatta, crusts on, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
• 3 medium firm apples such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
• 2 tbsp amaretto, dark rum, or apple cider

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp turbinado or granulated sugar, for the top

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
• 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. If your bread is fresh rather than stale, spread the torn pieces on a sheet pan and dry them in a 300°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once, until they feel dry and light but are not browned. Let cool. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish (or a 3-quart oval baker).
2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then stir and cook 4 to 5 minutes more until the edges are golden and the pieces are just tender. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice and cook 1 minute until glossy. Remove from heat.
3. Combine the raisins (if using) with the amaretto in a small bowl and let sit while you make the custard.
4. Whisk the milk, cream, eggs, egg yolks, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl until completely smooth and the sugar has dissolved.
5. Put the dried bread in the buttered dish, scatter the apples and the raisins with their soaking liquid over and among the pieces, and toss gently with your hands to distribute. Pour the custard evenly over everything, pressing the bread down with a spatula so it submerges.
6. Let the pudding soak at room temperature for 30 minutes, pressing down every 10 minutes. This is the step that matters — the bread should go from firm to heavy and saturated, with only the top edges standing above the custard. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F.
7. Sprinkle the top with the 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar. Bake on the middle rack for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is deep golden, the edges are puffed and crisp, and the center is set with only a slight wobble — a knife slipped into the middle should come out clean of liquid custard. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil after 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes.
8. While the pudding rests, make the caramel: stir the 3/4 cup sugar and water together in a small heavy saucepan, then set over medium-high heat. Cook without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally, for 6 to 9 minutes until the syrup turns the color of an old penny and smells toasty.
9. Off the heat, add the butter and swirl until it melts, then stand back and pour in the warmed cream — it will bubble up hard. Whisk smooth, stir in the flaky salt, and return to low heat for 30 seconds if any sugar has seized. The sauce should coat a spoon; it thickens as it cools.
10. Spoon warm pudding into bowls and pour the caramel over each serving. Serve with softly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla gelato.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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