Ingredients:

  • 1 loaf (approx. 450g / 1 lb) Day-old Brioche or Challah bread, cut into 3cm cubes
  • 30 g (2 Tbsp) Unsalted butter, melted (for greasing the dish)
  • 2 large (approx. 350g) Firm, tart apples (e.g., Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and diced
  • 30 g (2 Tbsp) Unsalted butter (for apples)
  • 15 g (1 Tbsp) Granulated sugar (for apples)
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) Ground Cinnamon
  • 5 ml (1/2 tsp) Vanilla extract (for apples)
  • 6 large Eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1 large Egg yolk
  • 500 ml (2 cups) Heavy cream
  • 250 ml (1 cup) Whole milk
  • 150 g (3/4 cup) Granulated sugar (for custard)
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) Vanilla extract (for custard)
  • A pinch Freshly grated Nutmeg and Salt
  • 200 g (1 cup) Granulated sugar (for caramel)
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) Water
  • 120 ml (1/2 cup) Heavy cream (warmed slightly, for caramel)
  • 60 g (4 Tbsp) Unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for caramel)
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) Flaky sea salt (e.g., Maldon)

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Dish and Oven: Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish generously with melted butter.
  2. Make the Salted Caramel: Combine 200g sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the mixture turns a deep, rich amber colour (about 8–10 minutes), swirling the pan gently but not stirring.
  3. Finish the Caramel: Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully whisk in the warm heavy cream (it will bubble vigorously). Whisk in the 60g butter and sea salt until smooth. Set aside and reserve about 1/3 of the sauce for drizzling later.
  4. Sauté the Apples: In a skillet, melt 30g butter. Add diced apples, 15g sugar, and cinnamon. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until the apples are tender-crisp. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Make the Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, cream, milk, 150g sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt until homogenous. Do not over-whisk.
  6. Combine Caramel and Custard: Slowly whisk two-thirds of the prepared caramel sauce into the custard mixture.
  7. Assemble the Pudding: Place the cubed bread into the prepared baking dish. Scatter the sautéed apples evenly over the bread.
  8. Soak: Pour the custard mixture slowly over the bread and apples, ensuring every piece is thoroughly saturated. Press the bread gently to submerge. Allow the pudding to soak at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes.
  9. Bake Prep: Place the baking dish into a deep roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish (this is the water bath method, recommended for texture).
  10. Bake: Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and puffy, and the center is slightly wobbly (internal temperature 85°C / 185°F).
  11. Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and the water bath. Allow the bread pudding to rest for 10–15 minutes. Re-warm the reserved caramel sauce slightly and drizzle generously over the warm pudding just before serving.