Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

Bread pudding seems to be making a come back in many restaurants.  Once seen perhaps as something made of leftovers, it is usually elevated with a boozy sauce on top to create a dreamy and creamy dessert.  Since I love french toast, I naturally love bread pudding, too.   I tried a caramel apple bread pudding at the German restaurant in Las Vegas and thought it was heaven in a bowl.  Just dreamy.  I didn’t drizzle the caramel on top because the Smuckers caramel I had left over was entirely too sweet.  Unless I make my own, I’ll leave it off.  It makes for something pretty underneath.

This recipe I thought tasted best the day it was made.  Some people think bread pudding tastes better the next day, but it lost the juxtaposition of the crispy top and creamy bottom.

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding
yield 8 servings

3/4 lb. raisin bread (about half a loaf, about 8 slices)
1 granny smith apple, peeled and sliced into small chunks
1/4 cup melted butter or trans-fat free margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk (or mixture of half and half  with milk to = 1 cup)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
caramel sauce (optional)

1.  Spray a 7×11″ dish or large corningware dish with cooking spray.  Or line with non-stick foil.
2.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Or you CAN let this sit in the fridge a few hours and throw in the oven later.  Or you could freeze the bread, apples, melted butter, sugar and cinnamon mixture; freeze the eggs, brown sugar, milk and vanilla separately.
3.  Toss the bread cubes and apples together.  Mix the melted butter, sugar and cinnamon.  Toss with the bread and apples.  Put them into the baking dish.
4.  In a bowl (can be the same one you just had the bread in), mix the eggs, brown sugar, milk and vanilla.  Pour over the bread mixture.  Using a fork, mush the bread so that the egg mixture coats and soaks into all the pieces.  Let it soak for 30 minutes.
5.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.
6.  Optional:  Before serving, drizzle some caramel on a plate.