Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
Toast the bread:
Spread the cubes of bread out evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until lightly toasted,
about 10 minutes.
Tip
You can skip this step if you’re using stale bread that is dry to the touch.
Make the apple filling:
Meanwhile, add the diced apples, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to a medium
saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until the apples are soft and the sugar is melted, about
5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assemble the bread pudding:
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and sugar.
Add the bread cubes to the prepared casserole dish. Pour the apple filling on top. Using a large
spoon or rubber spatula, toss the bread chunks and apple filling together until evenly distributed.
Pour the egg and milk mixture on top.
Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking so that the bread can soak up most of the
liquid.
Bake:
Bake until the liquid has set and the bread on the surface of the casserole is golden brown, about
40 minutes. When the bread pudding is done baking, a sharp knife or toothpick inserted in the
center should come out clean.
Make the sauce and serve:
While the bread pudding is baking, prepare the sauce. Combine the brown sugar and butter in a
small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the brown sugar is melted, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the heavy cream and continue to stir the mixture over heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the
bourbon and let the sauce simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. As the sauce cools, mix it
every 1 to 2 minutes to prevent the butter from separating.
Pour the sauce over the bread pudding and serve warm.
