While apples are available all year at the grocery store, there is nothing like freshly picked apples in the fall. Living where we do, it is a 10-minute drive to a handful of orchards. Conveniently, our 11 year old daughter takes gymnastics lessons at a studio near these orchards. With everyone in our house enjoying apples, I typically get a new bag of apples weekly.
For the first month of apple season, we enjoyed Ginger Gold apples, but as with any type of produce, their season ended. When I went to the orchard last week, I needed to choose a new variety for our house. Looking for an apple that was a nice mix of sweet and tart, I chose Jonagolds.
On this past Monday, instead of making our typical tapas dinner, I made a two-course dinner. We started our late night meal with braised lamb and cauliflower. Enjoyed with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and candlelight, it was a wonderful way to relax. After dinner, we moved onto coffee and apple bread pudding. Although we aren’t huge fans of dessert, it seemed like a good night for a little indulgence. Why not celebrate Columbus Day with some panache?
Warm from the oven and topped with whipped cream, we enjoyed this dessert. I purposely made enough to provide leftovers, which the kids enjoyed the next day. They, too, ate it warm with whipped cream, though I could imagine that it would be indulgently good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- 5 slices crusty Italian bread, cubed
- 2 Jonagold apples, peeled, cored, & cubed
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 Tb. unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Grease a 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Place bread and apple cubes in dish, and toss.
- Combine sugar, milk, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir until butter has melted, and pour over bread and apples. Mix ingredients.
- Whisk eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla in a small bowl, and pour over bread and apples.
- Stir to combine. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes but enjoy warm!
I have been looking for a nice bread pudding recipe. The apples push this over the top! It’s at the top of my must try list. Thanks for sharing this.