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Caramel Apple Bread Pudding Recipe

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4.3 from 72 reviews

  • Author: Sophia
  • Total Time: Overnight drying + 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Description

This Caramel Apple Bread Pudding is a comforting dessert featuring tender brioche soaked in a spiced custard, layered with tart caramelized Granny Smith apples, and baked to a golden perfection. The rich caramel-style sauce infuses each bite with warm cinnamon and apple pie spice flavors, while the creamy custard creates a luscious texture that is perfectly balanced by the tartness of the apples.

Ingredients

Bread

  • 8 oz (225 g) brioche, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes, left out overnight (or baked at 300 °F / 150 °C for 10 minutes if short on time)

Custard

  • 1 cup (240 ml) milk, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, room temperature
  • ⅛ cup (25 g) granulated sugar
  • ⅛ cup (25 g) light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp (5 g) apple pie spice
  • ⅛ tsp (0.5 g) kosher salt

Caramel-Style Sauce

  • 8 tbsps (115 g) unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp (1.25 g) kosher salt
  • 1½ cups (300 g) light brown sugar
  • 2 tsps (10 g) apple pie spice
  • 1 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon

Apples

  • 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup (240 ml) water

Instructions

  1. Prepare the bread: Cut the brioche into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes and leave it out overnight to dry. If you’re short on time, bake the cubes at 300 °F (150 °C) for 10 minutes until lightly dry to the touch.
  2. Make the custard: In a bowl, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, eggs, ground cinnamon, apple pie spice, and kosher salt until the mixture is smooth. Set this custard aside while preparing the caramel-style sauce.
  3. Prepare the caramel-style sauce: Melt the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and kosher salt, cooking for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Add the light brown sugar, apple pie spice, and ground cinnamon. Stir continuously until the mixture becomes smooth and thick. Scoop out ½ cup (120 ml) of this sauce and set it aside for drizzling later.
  4. Cook the apples: Add the diced Granny Smith apples and water to the remaining caramel sauce in the skillet. Simmer over low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and fully coated with the caramel sauce.
  5. Assemble the bread pudding: Grease an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) or 9×9-inch (23×23 cm) baking dish. Layer one-third of the brioche cubes in the dish, followed by one-third of the caramel apples. Repeat this layering process two more times until all the brioche and apples are used.
  6. Add the custard and press: Pour the custard evenly over the layered brioche and apples. Using the back of a spoon, gently press the bread down so every piece is soaked by the custard. This ensures even soaking and baking from edge to center.
  7. Bake the pudding: Bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (175 °C) for 35–45 minutes, until the top is golden and the center has a slight wobble, indicating it is creamy inside but set.
  8. Serve with caramel sauce: Warm the reserved caramel-style sauce over low heat, thinning it with a splash of water if necessary. Drizzle the warm sauce over individual servings of the bread pudding before serving.

Notes

  • If your brioche is very fresh, dry it longer or bake it briefly so the custard can soak in evenly. Soft bread can cause the center to turn soggy instead of creamy.
  • Cook the flour and butter mixture for at least one minute before adding sugar to remove the raw flour taste and give the caramel-style sauce body.
  • Tart apples such as Granny Smiths keep the flavor balanced and prevent the pudding from becoming overly sweet. Honeycrisp or Braeburn are good alternatives that hold up well when baked.
  • When layering, press the brioche gently into the custard to avoid air pockets and help it bake evenly from edge to center.
  • The pudding is done when the center reaches about 170–175 °F (77–80 °C) and still moves slightly. Overbaking results in a dense, less creamy texture.
  • Use the reserved caramel-style sauce for drizzling while warm, or stir in a splash of cream to thin it once chilled.
  • You can assemble the bread pudding a day in advance, cover it, and refrigerate overnight. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking so the custard warms slightly and bakes evenly. Resting deepens the flavor and improves custard soaking.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus overnight or 10 minutes drying bread)
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes (15 minutes simmering apples, 35–45 minutes baking)
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://sophiasrecipe.com/caramel-apple-bread-pudding-recipe/