Apple Walnut Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Cider Sauce

Bake this apple walnut bread pudding on a crisp cool day.  It’s soft, warm and creamy, and it will make your whole house smell like fall!  Drizzle on the sweet and buttery cinnamon cider sauce and enjoy this comforting seasonal dessert.

I received a copy of Wintersweet in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions stated herein are straight from my heart.  

Good morning!  It’s Friday morning and I am writing this from a hotel room in Iowa.  Ha!

I arrived here in Des Moines last night after a long day of travel.  Can you believe that Chicago O’Hare is still goofed up from two weeks ago?  Evidently that issue caused a lot of problems that still haven’t been completely sorted out, so there were lots of flight delays and such.  I was in travel mode from 10 am until around 9 pm, with an extra hour in there for the time difference.

But I’m cozy and warm in my hotel room bed now!  In case you’re wondering what I’m doing in Des Moines, I’m here for the Better Homes and Gardens Cooking Experience.  Remember when I told you all about it here?  I can’t wait for the fun to begin, but first I want to share this delicious fall recipe with you.

It’s from the new book Wintersweet, Seasonal Desserts to Warm the Home, by Tammy Donroe Inman.  I was so thrilled when Tammy reached out to me to offer me a copy of this gorgeous book.  The timing was perfect (just in time for apple picking season!) and you guys know how I feel about seasonal baking.  I spent a good part of last weekend poring over the gorgeous photographs and mouthwatering recipes found in Wintersweet, while curled up under a fluffy blanket on my couch!  The kids were playing football with their dad and it was just about the most perfect way to spend a weekend 😉

And then on the first crisp, cool, quiet day I had, I did this:

…and this:

…and then this:

And I baked it in the oven and it made my whole house smell like fall.  When everybody got home they knew right away that something delicious had gone down.

The bread pudding is soft, warm, and custardy, with sweet cinnamon apples and toasted walnuts running all throughout, all topped off with the most divine apple cider sauce/syrup.  It’s sweet and apple-y, so comforting and belly-warming, and just the quintessential fall dessert.

I just love how this cookbook proves that there are so many wonderful seasonal ingredients to be enjoyed in the wintertime.  The book is broken down into chapters by ingredient type, and besides apples, Wintersweet also features pears and quince, nuts and chocolate, persimmons, pomegranates and cranberries, citrus, roots, tubers, and gourds, cheese, dried fruits, and dairy and fresh eggs.  All the things my mind goes to when I think about winter baking!

I think you will really enjoy baking this apple bread pudding on a crisp cool day.  Definitely keep it in mind after your next apple picking trip!  And be sure to pick up a copy of Wintersweet for tons more seasonal baking ideas!

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5 stars (1 rating)

Apple Walnut Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Cider Sauce

Servings: 10

Bake this apple walnut bread pudding on a crisp cool day. It’s soft, warm and creamy, and it will make your whole house smell like fall! Drizzle on the sweet and buttery cinnamon cider sauce and enjoy this comforting seasonal dessert.

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Ingredients

For the Filling:

• ▢ 1 cup (117 g) walnut pieces
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 fresh apples, , large (I used Granny Smith)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider, (water can be substituted)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, (firmly packed)
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ▢ 16 ounces (453.59 g) loaf bread, (such as challah, French, or Italian bread)

For the Custard:

• ▢ 3 eggs, (large)
• ▢ 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, (firmly packed)
• ▢ 2 cups (473.18 ml) heavy cream
• ▢ 1 cup (236.59 ml) milk, (I used 1%)
• ▢ 1 cup (236.59 ml) apple cider
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

For the Cinnamon Cider Sauce:

• ▢ 4 tablespoons (59.15 g) unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 1/3 cups (293.33 g) light brown sugar, (firmly packed)
• ▢ 2 cups (473.18 ml) apple cider
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

 

To Make the Filling:

• Toast the walnuts in a dry medium skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally until they are fragrant and begin to turn golden brown in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a small plate and let cool.
• In the same skillet, heat the butter over medium heat and saute the apples until well coated.
• Stir in the apple cider or water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice, and saute until the apples are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Lightly mist a 13x9-inch casserole with non-stick spray.
• Cut the bread into ¾-inch cubes and add to the prepared baking dish.
• Add the apples and walnuts, and toss together to distribute.

To Make the Custard:

• Whisk together the eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl.
• Add the cream, milk, apple cider, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg and whisk to combine.
• Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and apples, and toss well. Let soak for 20 minutes to an hour.
• Flip the bread cubes over with a spatula so that the drier bread on top is now on the bottom. Let soak an additional 20 minutes to an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake the bread pudding for 45-55 minutes, or until puffed and golden and set in the center.

To Make the Cinnamon Cider Sauce:

• Bring the butter, brown sugar, apple cider, cinnamon, and salt to a boil in a small pot, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for 20-30 minutes or until the mixture is syrupy and reduced.

To Serve:

• Top bowls of warm bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla or buttermilk ice cream and a generous drizzle of cinnamon cider sauce.
• The pudding can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days.
• Reheat in the oven or microwave.

Calories: 681kcal, Carbohydrates: 86g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Cholesterol: 132mg, Sodium: 446mg, Potassium: 392mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 61g, Vitamin A: 1005IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 191mg, Iron: 3mg

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