Pumpkin Scrap & Apple Bread Pudding 🍏
There’s something about apple cinnamon baking in the oven that just feels like home. ♥️
This Pumpkin Scrap & Apple Bread Pudding 🍏 came out perfect in my @peugeot_saveurs_northamerica baking dish!
Ingredients:
•6 cups challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
•1 ½ cups roasted pumpkin scraps
•2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
•4 large eggs
•1 ½ cups whole milk
•½ cup heavy cream
•¾ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
•2 tsp vanilla extract
•2 tsp cinnamon
•½ tsp nutmeg
•½ tsp ground ginger
•¼ tsp cloves
•Pinch of salt
•3 Tbsp butter, melted (plus more for greasing pan)
Instructions:
1. If using raw pumpkin scraps, roast them first at 400°F for 25–30 minutes until tender. Then mash or blend into a smooth purée.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175 °C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter and scatter the cubed bread evenly inside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla, spices, salt, and the roasted pumpkin purée until smooth.
4. Stir in diced apples and melted butter.
5. Pour custard mixture over the bread cubes. Gently press the bread down with a spatula to help it absorb the liquid. Let rest 10–15 minutes so the flavors soak in.
6. Place dish in the oven and bake for 40–45 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden and slightly crisp.
7. Let cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar drizzle with caramel over vanilla ice cream.
Salted Caramel Sauce:
•1 cup granulated sugar
•6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces (room temperature)
•½ cup heavy cream (room temperature)
•1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp flaky sea salt
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the sugar. Stir constantly with a heat-resistant spatula or wooden spoon until it melts into a thick amber-colored liquid. Be patient — it clumps first, then smooths out.
2. Once the sugar is fully melted, carefully whisk in the butter. It will bubble vigorously — keep whisking until combined.
3. Slowly pour in the cream while whisking. Again, it will bubble, then smooth into a sauce.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and salt. Let cool for 5–10 minutes before drizzling.
Bread pudding is a classic comfort dessert that wonderfully embraces seasonal flavors like pumpkin and apple, especially when enhanced with warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Using challah bread in this recipe adds a slightly sweet and tender crumb, which soaks up the custard mixture perfectly for a luscious texture. Roasting pumpkin scraps before blending them into a purée intensifies their natural sweetness and adds a vibrant color, making this bread pudding both flavorful and visually appealing. The diced apples contribute a pleasant tartness and crunch to contrast the creamy custard, enhancing every bite with varied textures. The custard base, made from eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, and brown sugar, is spiced generously with vanilla extract and classic autumn spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and cloves. A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and lifts the overall flavor. A key technique in this recipe is allowing the bread cubes to rest for 10–15 minutes after pouring the custard mixture, ensuring the bread absorbs maximum moisture and flavor before baking. Baking until golden and slightly crisp on top locks in creamy softness underneath. Completing this dish with a homemade salted caramel sauce adds an indulgent finish. Making caramel from granulated sugar requires patience as the sugar clumps before melting into a smooth amber liquid. Incorporating butter, warm cream, vanilla, and flaky sea salt creates a complex sauce with contrasting sweet and salty notes. Drizzling this sauce over the warm bread pudding and vanilla ice cream elevates the dessert to a decadent treat. For variations, consider adding toasted nuts like pecans or walnuts for added crunch, or incorporating dried fruits such as raisins or cranberries for a hint of chewiness. This recipe also adapts well for substitution with other sturdy breads like brioche or French bread. This Pumpkin Scrap & Apple Bread Pudding recipe perfectly captures the cozy essence of fall baking and makes an excellent dessert for family gatherings or holiday celebrations. The balance of spices, textures, and the luscious salted caramel drizzle guarantees a crowd-pleaser that feels like home.
