Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

Here's a great cool weather dessert, made even better with the addition of a great caramel sauce, the recipe for which follows this post. It is the best recipe for caramel sauce that I have tried and we use it in all sorts of desserts and for the kids especially, on outstanding caramel sundaes.

Peel and cut into thick slices

3 large apples

In a medium skillet melt

¼ cup butter

Add
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup light brown sugar

Cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbly. Add the apples and sauté until the apples are just fork tender but not mushy. Remove the apples from the sauce. At this point, depending on the juice content of your apples, you may have to continue to boil the sauce to reduce it to a slightly thickened consistency, then toss in the apples again.

5 cups bread cubes (Use any good quality bread. I’ve used Brioche here but French, Italian or Belgian bread is good too.)

Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish well. Toss in ½ the bread cubes in an even layer. Sprinkle the bread cubes with half the sautéed apples.

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Repeat the layer with the remaining bread cubes and apples.

Whisk together:

1 cup whipping cream
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Pour the mixture evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down slightly to make sure all the cubes are soaked. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45-50 minutes until the custard is set and no longer liquid in the center. Let the bread pudding stand for about 20 minutes before serving. Serve with Caramel Sauce.