Apple Pie Bread Pudding

• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

12 thick-cut slices of brioche bread or 12 brioche rolls, preferably dried out overnight, cut into 1” cubes

Optional: turbinado sugar, for topping

Apple Pie Filling:

1 3/4 lb apples of choice (~5 apples; I used Gala and Granny Smith), peeled & diced

4 tbsp salted butter

2 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp apple pie spice

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

Custard:

1 cup milk of choice

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tbsp salted butter

1/4 cup + 3 tbsp granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

Optional: 1/2 tsp apple pie spice

4 eggs, at room temp

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9” round (or 8” or 9” square) baking pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper. Place onto a baking sheet; set aside.

Prepare apple pie filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and apple pie spice, and stir well. Then, add the brown sugar and stir.

Add the diced apples and water, stir & cover. Cook until the apples are soft, stirring occasionally (10-15 mins).

Remove from the heat and strain the juices, saving them to top later.

Prepare the custard. Combine all of the ingredients for the custard, except for the eggs, in saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat, add the eggs one at a time, and whisk in between each addition. DO NOT cook any longer. Set aside.

Place 1/3 of the bread cubes into the bottom of the prepared pan. Press down.

Spread ~1/3 of the apple pie filling on top. Repeat the process 2 more times, finishing by topping with the last 1/3 of bread cubes and apple pie filling.

Pour the custard all over the bread, then gently press down. Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar.

Baker 350F for 35-40 mins on a baking sheet, until the top is golden and set, but still slightly wobbly when shaken. Remove from the oven. Rest for at least 10 min.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and the juices from the apple pie filling.

Enjoy!