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Double-Apple Bread Pudding

For a bread pudding that was chock-full of apple flavor, we chose bright Granny Smith apples and combined them with cubes of toasted challah and a rich custard laced with autumnal spices. Par Cooking the apples in a little water, butter, and sugar prior to combining them with the bread and custard not only helped achieve the perfect texture but also created a fruity apple liquid that we used to boost the flavor of the custard. Toasting the challah bread cubes ensured that they soaked up the maximum amount of custard, giving the pudding a light and fluffy texture. Finally, reserving some of the toasted bread cubes and coating them in melted butter and sugar created a quasi streusel topping that added crunch to the lush pudding.
Servings: 6
Author: America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 6 cups challah cut into ½-inch cubes, 10 ounces / 283 grams
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 1½ tablespoons melted
  • ½ packed cup brown sugar divided, plus 1½ tablespoons, 3½ ounces / 99 grams
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 2 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces, 8 ounces each / 227 grams
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1¼ cups heavy cream

Instructions

Prepare the bread cubes:

  • Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Spread the bread cubes in single layer on rimmed baking sheet.
  • Bake, tossing occasionally, until just dry, about 15 minutes.
  • Let the bread cubes cool for about 15 minutes.
  • Measure out ¾ cup of bread cubes and set aside.

Cook the apples:

  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat.
  • Add ¼ cup of the sugar and the 1/3 cup of water and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
  • Stir in the apples.
  • Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer.
  • Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.
  • Uncover and continue to cook until the apples are translucent and just tender, about 4 minutes longer.

Strain the apples:

  • Drain the apples in a fine-mesh strainer set over a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, pressing gently to remove as much juice as possible.
  • Set the apples aside.
  • Add enough milk to the juice to yield 1¼ cups of liquid.

Prepare the custard:

  • Combine the remaining ¼ cup of sugar with the cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl.
  • Whisk in the eggs.
  • Whisk in the cream and milk-juice mixture until combined.

Assemble the casserole:

  • Gently stir in the apples.
  • Add the remaining 5¼ cups of bread cubes and toss to coat.
  • Transfer the mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish and gently press down with a spatula.
  • Let soak for 30 minutes, pressing the bread cubes into the custard halfway through soaking.

Make the topping:

  • Toss the reserved bread cubes with the remaining 1½ tablespoons sugar in a separate bowl.
  • Use your fingers to crush the bread to create a mix of small and large pieces.
  • Add the melted butter and toss to combine.
  • Press the bread cubes into the custard once more and sprinkle the bread topping evenly over the soaked bread mixture.

Bake and serve:

  • Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the bread pudding is golden brown and the center registers 160 to 165 degrees, 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes.
  • Transfer to a wire rack and let cool until the pudding is set and just warm, about 45 minutes. Serve.

Notes

  • If you can't find challah, substitute a firm high-quality sandwich bread such as Arnold Country Style White Bread or Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White Bread.
  • We like the brightness of Granny Smith apples here, but you can use another firm, tart apple variety.
  • Use a glass or ceramic baking dish.
  • Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.