America's Test Kitchen brings a feel-good, fall-ready dessert with Erica Turner’s Double Apple Bread Pudding. This cozy take on a centuries-old favorite layers toasted challah cubes with tender, simmered Granny Smith apples and a custard that’s been infused with apple cooking liquid—resulting in one dessert that tastes like the very best part of apple pie. For fans of comforting cooking, recipes, bon apetit moments, this one delivers on texture, spice, and nostalgia.
Why this bread pudding works
Erica’s approach focuses on two flavor-forward ideas: maximize apple flavor by using the apple cooking liquid in the custard, and preserve the bread’s structure by toasting firm, slightly rich challah cubes before soaking them. Those two techniques—double apple infusion and deliberate toasting—create a pudding that’s apple-studded, custardy, and not soggy.
"Double apples."
What you’ll need
The ingredient list is straightforward and pantry-friendly. It’s perfect for fall baking or turning stale bread into a showstopper dessert.
- 10 ounces challah bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (reserve 3/4 cup for topping)
- 2 Granny Smith apples (about 8 ounces each), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for cooking apples)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (for apples) + 1/4 cup brown sugar (for custard)
- 1/3 cup water (to make apple cooking liquid)
- Milk (to bring apple liquid + milk to 1 1/4 cups)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar + 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter (for crisp topping)
Step-by-step: From toast to table
1. Toast the bread
Slice the challah into 1/2-inch cubes and arrange them in an even layer on a baking sheet. Toast the cubes until golden and firm—this makes them soak up the custard without falling apart. Toss the sheet once halfway through the toasting step so the cubes brown evenly.
2. Cook the apples and capture the magic
Melt butter in a skillet, add 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup water, whisk to dissolve, then stir in the cut apples and bring to a simmer. Cover briefly, then continue to cook uncovered until the apples are tender and a fragrant apple cooking liquid forms. Strain the apples through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving both the cooked apple pieces and the cooking liquid.
3. Build the custard
To the apple-infused liquid, add just enough milk to total 1 1/4 cups—this keeps the apple flavor concentrated. In a bowl whisk together 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt. Add two large eggs, 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, and the apple-milk mixture. This is where Erica’s double-apple idea shines: the cooking liquid flavors the custard, and the cooked apple pieces provide bursts of fruit in every bite.
4. Soak the bread
Reserve 3/4 cup of toasted bread cubes for the topping. Combine the remaining cubes with the custard and gently stir so the bread soaks up the liquid. Press the mixture into a baking dish so the cubes are evenly submerged. Let it rest for 30 minutes—pressing down once after 15 minutes helps ensure even soaking and yields a light, fluffy texture.
5. Make the crisp topping and bake
Crumble the reserved bread cubes into a mix of small and larger pieces (for textural contrast). Stir in 1.5 tablespoons brown sugar and 1.5 tablespoons melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Sprinkle this streusel-like topping evenly over the pudding, then bake at 325°F for about an hour, until the surface is golden and the center registers around 160–165°F.
6. Rest, serve, savor
Let the bread pudding cool on a rack for about 45 minutes so it can set. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired—Erica notes the combination of warm spiced pudding and cold ice cream is irresistible, though the pudding is also wonderful on its own.
Tips for success
- Use a firm, rich bread such as challah so cubes hold their shape when soaked.
- Adjust the apple variety if desired—Granny Smith adds tartness that balances the custard’s richness.
- Reserve bread for the topping to add crunch; crumbling into varied sizes creates a pleasing texture contrast.
- Temp the center (aim for 160–165°F) to ensure a perfectly set custard without overbaking.
- Don’t skip the apple cooking liquid—this is the trick that turns good bread pudding into a double-apple standout.
Serve and savor
Erica Turner’s Double Apple Bread Pudding is a comforting, spice-forward dessert that celebrates autumn apples and smart technique. Between the apple-infused custard, tender apple bites, and crunchy topping, it hits all the cozy notes that make home baking feel like a hug. For readers who love cooking, recipes, bon apetit, this recipe is an approachable, rewarding way to transform bread and apples into something unforgettable.
Try it as a weekend treat or a crowd-pleasing finale to a dinner party—either way, it will likely become a seasonal favorite.
This article was created from the video Cozy Double Apple Bread Pudding Recipe | America's Test Kitchen with the help of AI.
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