Ingredients:

  • 1 pound Challah or Brioche bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (day-old or lightly toasted)
  • 3 medium apples (Granny Smith/Fuji mix), peeled, cored, diced
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (for apples)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 Tbsp lightly packed brown sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for custard)
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (for custard)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar (for caramel base)
  • 3 Tbsp water (for caramel)
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed (for caramel)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed (for caramel)
  • 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, or to taste (Maldon)

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Bread: Lightly butter the 9x13 inch baking dish. If the bread is not stale, toast the cubes in a 350°F/180°C oven for 8 minutes until slightly dried out. Place bread cubes evenly in the prepared dish.
  2. Sauté the Apples: Melt the 2 Tbsp of butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until apples are slightly softened but still retain some bite. Remove from heat and scatter the spiced apples evenly over the bread cubes.
  3. Whisk the Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until completely combined. Do not over-whisk.
  4. Pour and Soak: Slowly pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and apple mixture. Press the bread down gently with a spatula to ensure all pieces are submerged. Cover the dish and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours) to achieve a velvety texture.
  5. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Place the baking dish into the preheated oven. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
  6. Rest: Remove from the oven and let rest for 10–15 minutes while preparing the caramel sauce.
  7. Make Caramel Base: Combine the 3/4 cup sugar and 3 Tbsp water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat without stirring (swirl occasionally) until the mixture turns a deep amber color (about 8–10 minutes).
  8. Finish Caramel: Remove the pan from the heat immediately. Whisk in the cubed butter until melted and smooth. Slowly and carefully pour in the warmed heavy cream, whisking continuously until the sauce is smooth. Stir in the flaky sea salt. Allow the sauce to cool slightly to thicken before drizzling over the warm bread pudding.