Baked Apples with Cranberry Molasses Bread Pudding |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 1 |
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Here are three desserts in one: baked apples, gingerbread-like pudding, and ice cream and caramel sauce on the side. Ingredients:
1 1/2 qts. cubed (1/2-in.) brioche or seedless challah (about 12 oz.) |
12 pink lady or golden delicious apples (6 lbs. total), or some of each |
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar |
1/2 cup dark molasses |
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled |
2 large eggs |
1 cup half-and-half |
1 tablespoon ground ginger |
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract |
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg |
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans |
1 1/4 cups cranberries, cut in half |
vanilla ice cream |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 200° with rack in lowest position. Bake bread in a large rimmed pan until crisp, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool. 2. Meanwhile, peel the top quarter of each apple and, using a melon baller, scoop out stem, core, and enough of inside so that walls of apple are about 1/2 in. thick (don't break through bottoms). If needed, trim bottoms slightly so apples sit upright. 3. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, molasses, butter, eggs, half-and-half, ginger, vanilla, and nutmeg to blend. Increase oven to 325°. As it heats, bake pecans in a shallow pan until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. 4. Add bread and cranberries to molasses mixture; toss to coat. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until two-thirds of liquid is absorbed, 12 minutes. Stir in pecans. 5. Generously stuff apples with bread mixture, mounding it. Set in a 9- by 13-in. baking dish plus a smaller shallow dish. 6. Bake until each apple is very tender when pierced, about 1 hour; check after 40 minutes and tent loosely with foil if they're getting dark. Serve warm in shallow bowls with ice cream and caramel sauce. 7. Make ahead: Prepare through step 5 and chill airtight up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature (2 1/2 hours) before baking. 8. Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving. |
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