This pudding is our (my husband’s and mine) favorite dessert. Kids do not eat it because it has different textures (apples and bread) combined in one dish. My kids are still at the stage in their lives when they prefer simple tastes. Something like: “Apples are fruit, cakes are pastry, and therefore they cannot be mixed together.”

Well, enough of that, here is my recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2.5 – 3 medium apples sliced and cubed (I usually cut 3 apples but give some of the slices to my kids to eat, so this is why 2.5 apples. Also I don’t peel apples but for a creamier texture peeled apples are preferable.)
• 4 cups of white bread, cubed (I actually don’t measure bread I just make sure that bread to apple ratio is 6:4
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cups of brown sugar
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of cream (can be substituted for half & half to cut some calories)
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar (can use vanilla extract instead)
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons of rum
• 1/4 cup of raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

Combine raisins with 2 tablespoons rum and set aside. Prepare apples and bread i.e. cut and slice them. In a large bowl mix apples, bread and rum soaked raisins. In a small saucepan combine milk, cream and butter. Heat it on the medium heat until the butter is melted. Add vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract). Pour over bread and apples. Carefully stir the mixture to distribute moisture equally between bread cubes.

Transfer the mixture to an oven safe dish (I use 8×8 oven safe glass dish).

In a small bowl, beat eggs with cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of rum. Pour it over the bread-and-apple mixture making sure it is evenly distributed.

Put in a preheated oven and bake for about 40 min. Serve hot or cold with vanilla sauce.

To prepare vanilla sauce, in a heavy small saucepan combine 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of heavy cream, 1/3 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar. Bring to gentle boil and continue cooking until it reduces a little (for about 5 minutes) steering constantly. Enjoy over apple bread pudding.