Apple bread pudding makes a fine ending to a Tucson meal

As a daughter of Michigan, this time of year makes me think of apples. Michigan doesn’t grow as many apples as some other states (I’m looking at you, Washington), but it grows more varieties of apples than any other state.

I love apples so much that one year for Halloween, I dressed myself as Johnny Appleseed, wearing one of my mom’s Revere Ware saucepans on my head and a burlap bag from the feed mill as a garment.

Johnny Appleseed never made it as far west as Arizona, but — somewhat to my surprise — apples grow very well here in the low desert. At least, some varieties do, and some of those varieties are among my favorites.

You’re likely to see Arizona-grown varieties such as Anna, a sweet, crisp, flavorful apple that’s good fresh or cooked, and stores up to two months in the refrigerator; Fuji, a sweet, very crisp apple that is also an excellent keeper; the marvelous Gala, crisp and sweet-tart, with a rich flavor; and Golden Dorsett, a firm, flavorful apple that rivals Golden Delicious in its sweetness.

You’ll likely only find Anna and Golden Dorsett at Arizona’s farmers markets.

For the apple bread pudding I offer you today, I suggest Fuji or Gala. You can usually find both at the supermarket. They’ll hold their shape in cooking; a sauce apple like McIntosh will dissolve, and that’s not our desired result here.

Bread pudding is a humble dessert with thrifty origins. Some savvy economy-minded cook figured it was a good way to use up the slightly stale bread sitting around the kitchen. Use sturdy bread here — French bread is good, and so are challah and brioche. If your bread isn’t stale, dry the cubes in a low oven.

If you add a richly flavored sauce, like the bourbon sauce I’m teaching you, it suddenly becomes more upscale. This is a dessert that’s company-worthy, or a fine ending to a seasonal Sunday supper. Leftovers are great for breakfast the next day.

Apple Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Makes about 6 servings

Look for Fuji or Gala apples for this dessert. If you’ll serve this to kids or adults who don’t care for booze, just skip the bourbon, and double the vanilla. It will still be delightful.

Ingredients

4 cups of bread cubes, stale or lightly toasted in the oven

3 medium apples, peeled and chopped

½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

½ cup raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries or dried blueberries

2 eggs

½ cup sour cream

½ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup sugar

For the topping:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

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For the bourbon sauce:

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup whole milk

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons bourbon

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9-inch pie plate or small casserole dish with cooking spray.

Using a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Whisk in the sour cream and cream until blended. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar.

Stir apple pieces into the egg mixture. Fold in the bread gently. Stir in the nuts and dried fruit.

Pour bread pudding into the pan.

Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the bread pudding in the pan.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes. It should be golden brown with no raw, liquid parts remaining.

While baking, make the sauce. Place cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan. Don’t heat this up yet.

Pour the bourbon into a cup or small bowl. Whisk in the cornstarch. (If you’re not using bourbon, whisk the cornstarch into the cream mixture in the saucepan.)

In yet another cup or small bowl, use a fork to beat the egg yolks.

Place the saucepan with the cream and milk over medium heat. Stir the bourbon mixture into the cream mixture in the pan.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently.

Temper the egg yolks by pouring ½ cup of the hot mixture from the saucepan into the bowl of egg yolks, whisking as you do. Once blended, pour the remaining egg mixture into the saucepan, continuing to whisk.

Cook for 1-2 minutes longer over low heat.

Stir in the butter and vanilla.

The sauce will thicken a bit more even after removed from the stove. To prevent a skin forming, pour the sauce into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap is touching the surface of the sauce.

Serve the bread pudding with the sauce. You can pour some over each piece as you serve or pass the sauce around and let guests pour their own.