Chunky Apple-Apricot Bread Pudding

It's an Autumn Apple Party today here at #SundaySupper!  Fall is in the air!  Time for mums on the front steps, all the beautiful colors of Fall and all things APPLE!

Cindy @Cindy's Recipes and Writings  is our Hostess this week.  Our awesome #SundaySupper Movement with Isabel have over 50 apple recipes to share!  This is a recipe for a delicious, comforting bread pudding, that honestly - I could not stop eating!

Chunky Apple-Apricot Bread Pudding

• 1 Tbsp. soft butter
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 
• 3 cups day-old hearty white bread, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1-1/2 lbs. firm baking apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks (I used Braeburn)
• 6 Tbsp. apricot preserves
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350 degrees F.  Coat the bottom and sides of a 11 x 7 baking dish with the softened butter.  Sprinkle 3 Tbsp. of the sugar on the buttered surface; tilt and shake the pan so it's sugared.  Stir together 1/4 cup of the sugar with the cinnamon.

For the custard:  Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until thoroughly blended.  Gradually pour in the cream, milk, and all the remaining sugar (3/4 cup) whisking to incorporate, then whisk in the salt, vanilla and lemon zest.  Add the bread cubes into the custard, pushing them down so they are all submerged, and stir in the apple chunks.

Spoon the pudding into the baking dish, spread everything out to fill the dish in an even layer and smooth the top.  Drop teaspoonfuls of the apricot preserves on the pudding, distributing it all evenly, then scatter the chopped walnuts on top.

Finally, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the pudding.

Put the pudding dish inside a roasting pan, and set the big pan in the oven.  Carefully pour hot (not boiling) water into the roasting pan, enough to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish - don't splash the pudding!

Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set.  Carefully lift the roasting pan from the oven to a solid surface.  Leave the pudding dish in the water bath to cool gradually. 

Serve family-style while it is still warm.
I added a little caramel sauce to bring this over the top!

Soups, Salads, Starters and Breads

• Cinnamon Apple Chips- Shockingly Delicious
• Apple Celery Salad- In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
• Mini Apple Pumpkin Pancakes – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast- In the Kitchen with KP
• Curried Apple and Leek Soup-Soni’s Food for Thought
• Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad- The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Homemade Apple Jam – My Trials in the Kitchen
• Caramel Apple Butter Cheesecake Dip- Chocolate Moosey
• Caramel Apple Bread – famfriendsfood
• Apple Pie Bread Baker Street
• Apple, Bacon & Brie Popovers- I Run for Wine
• Apple and Almond Brie Puff Pastry- Family Foodie
• Apple, Leek and Gruyere Tarts- There and Back Again

Main Meals

• Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin- The Meltaways
• Apple-Glazed Meatballs- The Messy Baker
• Apples & Buttons (Ham, Apples and Dumplings)- Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Skillet Pork with Sweet Spiced Apples- Mama Mommy Mom
• Chicken Apple Meatloaf with Tarragon Tomato Sauce – Diabetic Foodie
• Baked Tilapia Apple Crisp- Daddy Knows Less
• Pork Tenderloin with Calvados Cream Sauce Sustainable Dad
• #SundaySupper Pulled Pork Sandwich With Pickled Red Onions Kwistin’s Favorites

Sides

• Harvest Rice- Webicurean
• Wild Rice with Apples, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts – Ruffles and Truffles
• Apple Topped Sweet Potato Mash- Momma’s Meals
• Warm Spice Pecan Raisin Apple Chutney- Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Desserts 

• • Double Apple Pot Pie- What Smells So Good?
  • Apple Walnut Coffee Cake- The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
  • Apple Streusel Cobbler- Big Bear’s Wife
  • Apple & Moroccan Cinnamon Gooey Sticky Buns- Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
  • Spiced Caramel Apple Pie-Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
  • Apple Pear Kuchen for #SundaySupper (Apfel Birnen Kuchen)- Galactosemia in PDX
  • Apple Strudel - Magnolia Days
  • Old Fashioned Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce-Noshing with the Nolands
  • Apple Cheesecake- Vintage Kitchen
  • Caramel Apple Crumble Bars- Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
  • Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting- From Fast Food to Fresh Food
  • Cinnamon Apple Dessert Chimichangas- Juanita’s Cocina
  • Nutella Apple Quesadilla- Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
  • Apple Crisp Ice Cream- Cravings of a Lunatic
  • Bavarian Apple Torte- The Lovely Pantry
  • Streusel Apple Crumb Pie + Pie Freezer Kits- Meal Planning Magic
  • French Apple Cobbler with Cinnamon-Maple Whipped Cream Weekend Gourmet
  • Chunky Apple-Apricot Bread Pudding- Comfy Cuisine
  • Apple Butter Spice Cake – Home Cooking Memories
  • Apple Pie and Custard- Happy Baking Days
  • #GlutenFree Deep Dish Carmel Apple Pie- Cooking Underwriter
  • Apple Brownies That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  • Country Apple Dumplings- Mom’s Test Kitchen
  • Apple-Gingersnap Cookies- Tora’s Real Food
  • Apple and Cranberry Turnovers- Flour on my Face
  • Applesauce Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze- Hip Foodie Mom
  • Caramel Frosted Apple Cookies- No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
  • Apple and Pecans Cake- Basic N Delicious
  • Apple Pull Apart Monkey Bread- Gotta Get Baked

Beverages
• Spiced Apple Ale Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Apple Chia Tea- Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Wine Pairings for our #SundaySupper Autumn Apple Party! – ENOFYLZ

• Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm (Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite apple recipes! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat! We’d also love to feature your apple recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!
  ~Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy