By Michael Minorgan for Curtains Up michaelminorgan@yahoo.ca
BREAD PUDDING WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES
Bread Pudding is the ultimate ‘comfort’ dessert. I was unfortunately brought up on bread pudding’s ‘poor cousin’ a la UK, Bread and Butter Pudding. Much later in life this rather insipid example proved a very poor substitute for the ‘real thing’ that I discovered on a visit to the Bon Ton Cafe in New Orleans some years ago.
Since opening La Louisiane Restaurant in 1991 and featuring it on the menu it proved an instant hit and it has followed me to every restaurant I have owned or worked at ever since.
It is a very adaptable dish that can be combined with many other fresh fruits and can even be served as a savory dish with addition of sautéed leeks and fresh herbs. This recipe is a Fall adapted one with addition of caramelized apples and a salted caramel sauce…..Enjoy!
Bread Pudding
Ingredients
1 day old baguette torn into pieces (the more rustic the better)
3/4 liter milk
6 eggs
1 small can apple sauce
2 cups sugar
vanilla extract
cinnamon powder
raisins (optiopnal0
Method
Whisk all ingredients together and add to bread pieces in a baking dish. Stir in raisins.
Bake in 350 oven for about 30 minutes until the pudding has puffed up and the liquid absorbed.
Caramelized Apples
Ingredients
3 granny smith apples peeled and diced
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
Method
Combine all ingredients in a sauté pan and bring to a simmer and continue to cook until the apples have softened and tart to caramelize.
Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup 35% cream
Dash of salt
Method
Place sugar and water in a saucepan and cook over low heat until the mixture turns a light brown. remove from heat and add cream. Stir well and return to the heat until mixture is smooth. Stir in a dash of salt.
