Wednesday Recipes: Caramel Apple Breakfast Pudding

This was wonderful at church fellowship--best to make two if you're feeding a crowd!

PS> Ignore the less-than-perfect picture--this is yummy!

Caramel Apple Breakfast Pudding

Ingredients:

2 large tart apples (such as Jonathan or Granny Smith)

1/4 cup water

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup

2 tablespoons margarine or butter

1/4 cup pecan pieces

3 beaten eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

8 to 10 1/2 inch thick slices Italian or French bread

Directions:

1. Peel, core, and slice apples. (You should have 2 cups sliced apples). In a small saucepan combine apple slices and the water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to medium-;ow. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Drain in a colander. Transfer cooked apples to a small bowl. Gently stir cinnamon into cooked apples.

2. In the same small saucepan combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and margarine. Cook and stir over medium heat just until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Pour mixture into a 2-quart square baking dish. Sprinkle with pecans.

3. In a medium bowl combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and nutmeg. Arrange half of the bread slices in the baking dish on top of the brown sugar mixture, trimming bread to fit (I just squashed it:). Spoon cooked apples evenly over bread layer. Arrange remaining bread slices on top. Carefully pour the egg mixture over bread. Press lightly with back of a spoon to thoroughly moisten bread. Cover with plastic wrap; chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours.

4. Bake, uncovered, in a 325 degrees oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven: run a knife around edge to loosen. Let stand 15 minutes. Carefully invert pudding onto a platter. Spoon any remaining caramel mixture in dish over pudding. Cut into triangles. Serve warm, or cool to room temperature before serving.

Note: This recipe comes from Make-Ahead Cooking, Better Homes and Gardens Books, 2001.