Recipe: Bread & Apple Pudding

Susan Jancourtz, head cook in Concord, shared Diana Henry’s Alsatian bread and apple pudding in our December 2016 issue of Volunteer Link.

Serves 6 – you’ll need a pot to heat the milk, a frying pan to saute the apples, a small bowl to beat the eggs, and a 9×13 baking dish to bake the dessert.

• 12 oz good white bread, like Pepperidge Farm
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sugar (take out 2 TB for sauteeing with the apples)
• Grated zest of one lemon, and its juice
• 1 pound firm apples (like Golden Delicious or Granny Smith)
• 1/4 ( one half stick) cup better
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 tablespoons brandy, applejack, or rum (optional)
• Confectioner’s sugar, to dust–and ice cream for a topping

1.  Break the bread into 1/2″ pieces and put them in a buttered baking dish (9×13).  Heat the cream and milk to just under boiling, then stir in the sugar and take the pot off the heat.  Stir to dissolve the sugar, add the zest, and then pour it over the bread to soak for 15 minutes.  Stir it around to make sure it’s even.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Core the apples and cut into 3/4″ chunks (peel or not–sometimes I peel, sometimes I don’t.  I think Alsatians peel the fruit.)  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan, and toss in the apples.  Saute over medium-high heat until just golden, then toss in the reserved 2 TB of sugar.  Cook 1 minute longer, but don’t burn the sugar.

3.  Mix the eggs with the vanilla and brandy.  Mix into the soaked bread along with the apples and lemon juice, then dot with the remaining butter.  Bake for 45 minutes, until the top is golden and puffy.  Leave to cool and set for ten minutes.  Sift over some confectioners’ sugar (it just looks pretty) and serve with ice cream or whipped cream or creme fraiche.