APPLE CIDER BREAD PUDDING WITH CARAMEL BOURBON-PECAN SAUCE

Apple Cider Bread Pudding with Caramel Bourbon-Pecan Sauce image

This apple cider bread pudding is always the first dessert to vanish during Thanksgiving dinner! It also won me first place in a pecan dessert cooking competition a few years ago!

Provided by Ashley Holman

Categories Desserts Specialty Dessert Recipes Bread Pudding Recipes

Time 1h50m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

6 cups cubed day-old French bread
2 medium apples - peeled, cored, and chopped
½ cup dark raisins
4 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
1 cup apple cider
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup butter
¼ cup bourbon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Combine bread cubes, apples, and raisins in a very large bowl.
Whisk eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt together in another large bowl until well combined. Whisk in milk and apple cider. Pour mixture over bread mixture, and toss gently using a spatula until evenly coated. Let bread pudding mixture stand for 15 minutes.
Pour bread pudding mixture into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Let bread pudding cool for at least 15 minutes; pudding will sink slightly.
Meanwhile, spread pecans on a baking sheet. Bake in the hot oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, and butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until mixture is reduced to 3 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove sauce from heat. Stir in pecans, bourbon, and vanilla extract.
Serve sauce with bread pudding.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 656.8 calories, Carbohydrate 101.3 g, Cholesterol 115.6 mg, Fat 25.6 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 7.8 g, SaturatedFat 11.8 g, Sodium 307.8 mg, Sugar 73.4 g