2005

Apple Bread Pudding with Hard Cider Sauce

Source: Emeril Live - FoodTV
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup apple cider
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 cups cubed stale raisin-cinnamon bread
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cubed (about 1 cup)
1 cup dried apples
Hard Cider Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10 by 14-inch baking dish with the butter and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the cream, cider, sugar, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon, and whisk to combine. Add the bread, fresh and dried apples, and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the bread is well saturated, up to 1 hour.) Bake until the top is golden brown and the center is firm, about 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and let sit on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Cut into pieces and drizzle with the Hard Cider Sauce. Serve immediately.

Hard Cider Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup hard cider
4 large egg yolks

In the top of a double boiler, melt the butter over simmering water. Add the sugar and whisk to combine, whisking for 1 minute. Add the cider and whisk until the sugar is dissolved, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, whisking constantly. Return to the heat and continue whisking until the sauce is pale and slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat.

Spoon the sauce over the pudding and serve immediately. (Note: The sauce will thicken and set up as it cools. If you desire a thicker consistency, serve the sauce slightly cooled.)