Bread Pudding with Apple and Raisins

Indulge yourself in a just-baked, homemade slice of bread pudding
 with the fresh addition of crispy apples and sweet raisins.
And don't forget to serve it warm with a scoop (or two!) of vanilla ice-cream!

It's not hard to bake a bread pudding. But it takes some time and care to make a perfectly moist and rich pudding with golden edges and soft inside. My recipe for this apple and raisins bread pudding will show you, with a few steps, exactly what you will need to do to make it delicious. After you cut the bread in small cubes, and the apples in thin slices, you will need to let them soak for at least 15 minutes in warm milk, flavored with cinnamon, lemon zest and vanilla. Long enough so that the bread softens and absorbs all the flavors and aromas of the other ingredients. Also, it is best to bake the pudding in a water bath.  This will ensure a slow and even cooking, and it will add moisture in the oven, so that the pudding will not be dry and rubbery. Perfection sometimes takes time and care.
This comforting, butter-free bread pudding made with simple and wholesome ingredients,  is always welcomed at my table. It's great for a hearty breakfast, but also perfect for dessert served warm with some ice-cream. Why not? Nothing is as  irresistible as a scoop of vanilla ice-cream melting over a warm slice of freshly baked bread pudding. All you have to do is gather around the fireplace, bundle under a cozy blanket with your dessert and enjoy!

Ingredients: serving 6

• 2 cups (475 ml) of milk
• 1/2 cup (85 gr) of brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 pinch of salt
• 4 cups (about 8 oz, 225 gr) of cubed Italian or French bread
• 2 granny smith apples
• 1 lemon, zest
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 3 eggs

Preparation time: 1 hour and 15 minutes (15 minutes to prepare, plus 15 minutes inactive and 45 minutes baking)

Directions:
Step 1:Warm up the milk until hot. Mix in the sugar, the vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and the cinnamon if you are using it.

Step 2: Cut the bread in small cubes. Peel and cut the apples in quarters, removing the core and cut in thin slices. In a large bowl, combine the bread, with the apple slices and the grated zest of one lemon.

Step 3: Pour the milk mixture over the bread and apples. Let soak for at least 15 minutes. In  a separate cup, soak the raisins in warm water, to plump and make them moist.

Step 4: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the raisins and beat the eggs. Add both to the mixture and stir gently with a spoon.

Step 5: Grease 6 individual size ramekins and pour in the mixture. For the best results and a moist pudding, place the pans into a large oven pan. Pour boiling water in the pan, up to about halfway the sides of the ramekins. Careful not to pour water in the pudding!. Bake for about 40 minutes until the sides are set, and the middle can be still slightly softer.

Cool before serving, so the pudding will set. Serve warm and, if you dare, with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream! Amazing!
Leftovers should be store in the refrigerator. Warm up before serving - two minutes in the microwave will do it.

Nutella Bread Pudding Recipe

A classic, comforting and timeless bread pudding with an Italian twist: Nutella

Who doesn't love bread pudding? Especially when it's cold outside, and you feel like snuggling in front of the fireplace eating something sinfully delicious.
Bread pudding is made all over the world in many different variations: with caramel, whiskey or rum sauce, with the addition of bananas or apples, or simply just bread pudding. Today I will show you my Italian version with Nutella, of course! You know by now that Nutella and I have a very special connection that goes way back to my childhood. So this weekend, when it rained for the first time in probably 6 months, and the temperature cooled down (for only 2 days, today it feels like summer again), I took the opportunity to bake this delicious bread pudding.
I used a french loaf that was leftover from the day before, spread lots of Nutella on the bread, added a few more ingredients to make the pudding, and baked it. Semplicissimo! I let the pudding cool down, after baking it, and then I warmed it up again right before eating. And, if you dare, serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and a drizzle of Nutella on top. Oh yes, simply heavenly!
Here is the recipe for you:
Ingredients: to make a 9 x 9 in, serving 6-8

• 2 cups (475 ml) of milk
• 1/2 cup (80 gr) of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 8 oz, (about 225 gr) of cubed Italian or French bread (half loaf)
• about 6 tablespoons of Nutella
• 3 eggs

Preparation time: about 1 hour (10 minutes to prepare, 15 minutes rest, 40 minutes bake)

Directions:
1: Warm up the milk until hot. Mix in the sugar, the vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

2: Cut the bread in slices, about 0.5-0.75 in thick. Spread half of the slices with Nutella (about one tablespoon each slice), and make sandwiches. Cut the sandwiches in small cubes and place the pieces in a large bowl.

3: Pour the milk mixture over the bread and Nutella. Let soak for at least 15 minutes.

4: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs and add to the bread. Mix it carefully in with a spoon. Pour the mixture in a pan (I used a 9x9 in) and bake for about 40 minutes until the sides are set, and the middle can be still slightly softer.

Cool before serving, so the pudding will set. I like to serve the bread pudding warm, so place the slice in the microwave for about 30 seconds. And don't forget to top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. 

Delicious!