Caramel Apple Bread Pudding Recipe
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A twist on a classic dessert, this Caramel Apple Bread Pudding makes use of day-old fresh bread as well as seasonal apples that are caramelized with sugar and spices. Serve the bread pudding with a dollop of whipped cream for a delicious and comforting fall treat.
I’ve got more Autumn Recipes for you to enjoy – right click and open these other recipes in a new tab so that you can read them after this one!
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Caramel Apple Bread Pudding
Bread pudding in the UK is different to the bread pudding in the USA. Granted, both are made with bread, but that is where the similarities end. Kind of!
I remember my mum making bread pudding when I was a kid. She would soak a bunch of stale bread and bread rolls (we lived in a pub restaurant, so always had plenty left over!) in some milk, then mix it with spices, mixed dried fruit, sugar, butter, and an egg and squish it all together to combine and then press it into a baking pan to cook. The end result was a dense, sliceable pudding, which I still love to this day – especially with a cuppa on a Saturday afternoon.
I had my first taste of American bread pudding back in 2011 at Walt Disney World – ‘Ohana’s Bread Pudding – and is one of my favorite desserts when we visit! (Bread pudding is often available for breakfast and brunch too!) What Americans call bread pudding, is what we Brits would call bread and butter pudding. And THAT UK dessert is made with buttered slices of bread, layered in a dish, covered with an eggy-creamy-custardy mixture and baked. This produces a lighter pudding, and nowhere near as stodgy as the British namesake. Ultimately, both use bread, and both are pudding (dessert).
Why does it all have to be so complicated?!
I’m sure you’ve already zoned out and want the recipe already… so let’s get on with it, shall we?!
Ingredients used in this recipe
The great thing about bread pudding is that most, if not all of the ingredients are likely to be in your pantry. You do need slightly stale bread, so bear that in mind when you want to make this caramel apple bread pudding.
- French Bread
- Gala Apples
- Butter
- Flour
- Ground Spices*
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
*This recipe uses Apple Pie Spice – which, much like the pre-made Pumpkin Pie Spice is a spice blend you can easily make with individual spices. It also uses extra ground cinnamon.
To make 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice, mix together the following ground spices in a bowl: ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon allspice.
Equipment used in this recipe
This recipe uses American cup measurements. Since I use this type of measurement often, I find it handy to have a set of measuring cups in the kitchen.
You are also going to need to gather these cooks tools:
- Baking Sheet
- Medium Saucepan with Lid
- Whisk
- Strainer
- 9″x13″ ovenproof/casserole dish
- Large Mixing Bowl
How Do You Make Caramel Apple Bread Pudding?
Full instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, but here is a quick outline so you know what to expect from the recipe. I highly recommend always reading a recipe all the way through before starting.
24 hours before you start making your bread pudding, cut the bread into half-inch cubes and spread out on a large baking sheet to dry out and go a bit stale.
When ready to make your pudding, grease a casserole dish with butter (or baking spray if you prefer). Set aside while you make the caramelized apples.
The apples are prepared in a pan starting with a roux (a mix of flour and butter) and then adding in sugar, spices, water, and chopped apples. Leave to cook until tender, then strain and save the juice/sauce to use later.
Then simply place the chunks of bread into the prepared dish, and top with the apples – spreading them in and around the bread.
A custard-like mixture is made by whisking eggs, melted butter, milk, vanilla, sugar, and spices and this is poured over the bread and apples.
Press everything gently to cover the bread as much as possible then bake for about 40 minutes until the pudding feels firm.
Serve with the reserved apple sauce, a big dollop whipped cream or scoop of ice cream – yummy!
Make It A Meal!
Looking for some mealtime inspiration to go with this bread pudding? I’ve got you covered!
- Soup: Leek & Potato Soup
- Main Dish: Roasted Pork Loin with Apple + Onions
- Side Dish: Roasted Apple Cauliflower Mash with Crispy Brussels Sprouts
- Beverage: Warm Autumn Fruit Punch
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy! Please feel free to check them out too.
More Recipes Using Apples
- Caramel Apple Pie Cupcakes with Cinnamon Sugar Pie Crust Topping
- Soda Bread with Blackberries & Apple
- Blackberry & Apple Jam
More Dessert Recipes
Got a hankering to make more desserts? Here are a few for you to look at next:
Caramel Apple Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g/14 oz stale French bread*
For the Caramelized Apples
- 350 g/¾ lb Gala apples peeled, cored, and diced
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 2½ Tbsp flour
- 2 tsp apple pie spice**
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup water
For the Custard Mixture
- 5 large eggs
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 2¼ cups whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp apple pie spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- *To make the bread stale, cut into half-inch cubes and spread onto a baking sheet. Leave it to dry out and get stale for 24 hours before making the bread pudding.
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease a 9×13" casserole dish with butter or baking spray.
- To make the caramelized apples: Melt butter in medium saucepan on medium heat. Begin whisking while adding in the flour, and continue to whisk as you slowly add brown sugar till blended.
- Add the diced apples, apple pie spice, and water. Stir to cover and add a lid to the pan. Cook on medium heat until the apples are soft – about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Begin whisking while adding the flour to the melted butter. Slowly add the brown sugar gently whisking to blend the butter, flour, and the brown sugar together. - Remove from the heat and strain apples, reserving the juice/sauce from the apples to use later. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Add the cubes of stale bread to the greased baking dish. Spread evenly then add the apples in and around the pieces of bread.
- To make the custard mixture: Whisk the eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla, brown sugar, apple pie spice, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Pour this mixture over the top of the apples and bread. Using your hands, gently press down on the bread so that everything gets a covering of the custard.
- Place dish in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until set in the middle. To test, press the middle of the pudding and it should be firm to the touch meaning the egg custard has cooked.
- Pour the reserved apple sauce over the pudding and serve warm. Top with whipped cream, ice cream or custard (Crème Anglaise).
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Re-heat before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.