Peanut Butter-Apple Breading Pudding with Bacon Crumbles and Brown Butter Sauce
I used a multigrain bread which has a strong flavor and stands out more than if you use a milder whole wheat or white bread. If you don't like the flavor of multigrain bread stick with whole wheat or splurge on some nice French bread. Whatever you pick, bread pudding is a great way to use up stale bread. This is also a fantastic recipe for old, mealy apples. NOTE: This recipe makes 9-12 servings, depending how you slice the pudding. The photos show the recipe halved in a smaller casserole dish.
Ingredients
- Bread Pudding:
- 8 slices whole wheat or multigrain bread stale or lightly toasted, cut into 1-inch squares and crust removed (about 5-6 cups)
- 6 slices center-cut bacon
- 4 medium apples peeled, cored and chopped (yields approximately 4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon Country Crock butter spread plus more for buttering the baking dish
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 3 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 3 eggs
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup all-natural no-sugar-added peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Brown Butter Sauce:
- 1/2 cup Country Crock butter spread
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Bread Pudding:
- Add the bacon to a large baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 400 degree F. Set the timer to 20 minutes. Take the bacon out after 20 minutes or when it's cooked and crispy. Drain the bacon on paper towels, reserving one tablespoon of bacon grease. After the bacon drains and cools enough to touch, crumble it and set aside.
- While the bacon is cooking, melt one tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped apples and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until apples begin to soften. Add the coconut sugar and pinch of salt. Turn the heat to medium low and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and caramelized. Set aside.
- Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F.
- Add the almond milk, eggs, egg whites, peanut butter and vanilla extract to a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the bread cubes and caramelized apples to a buttered 9-inch square baking dish. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the bread and apples. Make sure they are completely covered - the bread and apples should be drowning in a pool of custard! Top with bacon crumbles.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the top is browned and the middle is set. Do not overbake or the bread pudding will become dry.
- Brown Butter Sauce:
- In a small pot, melt the butter over medium heat until it bubbles and foam, whisking as it melts. Continue whisking until the butter turns golden. Quickly stir in the sugar and vanilla extract and then remove the pot from the heat (it will continue to cook off the heat). Brown butter can burn in a second so keep a close watch.