Here’s a warm and soothing dessert recipe for those cozy winter days. This variation on traditional bread pudding merges the comforting tastes of cinnamon and apple—and it’s made with whole grain bread. The recipe was written by Maria Reidelbach, an advocate for local farms and founder of the Rondout Valley Stick to Local Farms campaign.
The Hudson Valley is fertile ground for apple orchards, with many farmers growing storage varieties, which last well into late winter. So go ahead and visit your local farmer, buy those apples, and get baking!
Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding Recipe
6-8 servingsIngredients
- 3 cups milk (cow, soy, rice or nut)
- ½ cup maple syrup or sugar
- Pinch salt
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus more butter for the pan
- 8 thick slices day-old bread, crusts removed if very thick
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups cored, chopped apples, peeled or not
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (or cardamom)
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Put the milk, sugar, salt, and butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in a heatproof cup or bowl in the microwave. Warm just until the butter melts.
- Meanwhile, butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch round or 8-inch square baking dish.
- Cut, slice or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces and put in the dish.
- Pour the warm milk over the bread. Let it sit for a few minutes, pushing down the floaters.
- Beat the eggs and stir them into the bread mixture along with the apples and cinnamon.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out nearly clean; the center should be just a little soft.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
This recipe was originally printed in the Stick to Local Farms Cookbook: New York by Maria Reidelbach, Stick to Local Books, available at farm stands, bookstores, and at stick2local.com.
Learn more about Maria Reidelbach and her initiative to get food lovers visiting local farms.
