Apple Cardamom Bread Pudding Mark Bittman Food

APPLE-CARDAMOM BREAD PUDDING (MARK BITTMAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Add milk, sugar, salt, and butter to a small saucepan over low heat; warm just until the butter melts.
• Meanwhile, butter a 1 ½ quart or 8-inch square baking dish (glass is good) and cut or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces-not too small.
• Put the bread in the baking dish and pour the hot milk over it; let it sit for a few minutes, occasionally submerging any pieces of bread that rise to the top.
• Beat the eggs briefly and stir them into the bread mixture along with the apples and cardamom.
• Set the baking dish in a larger baking pan and pour enough hot water into the baking pan to come up about 1 inch from the top of the dish.
• Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife inserted in the center comes out clean or nearly clean; the center should be just a little wobbly.
• Run under the broiler for about 30 seconds to brown the top, if you like.
• Serve hot or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• To reheat, cover with foil and heat in a 325° oven for about 15 minutes, remove foil and heat for another 5 minutes or so for a crisper crust.

SIMPLE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk, butter, vanilla, sugar and salt. Continue cooking just until butter melts; cool. Meanwhile, butter a 4-to-6-cup baking dish and fill it with cubed bread.
• Add eggs to cooled milk mixture and whisk; pour mixture over bread. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until custard is set but still a little wobbly and edges of bread have browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

GRAMMA'S APPLE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 7x11 inch baking dish.
• In a large bowl, combine bread, raisins, and apples. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup brown sugar, 1 3/4 cups milk, and 1/4 cup margarine. Cook and stir until margarine is melted. Pour over bread mixture in bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs. Pour bread mixture into prepared dish, and pour egg mixture over bread.
• Bake in preheated oven 40 to 50 minutes, or until center is set and apples are tender.
• While pudding is baking, mix together sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/2 cup margarine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Serve over bread pudding.