apple cider donut bread pudding

We’re just a few days away from Thanksgiving!!!!

Are you ready?!?!?!

I can’t wait!!!

Well, we basically did our Thanksgiving at home this past weekend, but I still can’t wait to have a 4 day weekend!! We are going up to Price’s sister’s house on Friday so we decided to do our Thanksgiving in advance so we would’t be doing Thanksgiving dinner 2 days in a row. Now we just get to relax this Thursday to watch the parade and dog show. yes!

Do Chinese places deliver? Does wondering that make me a horrible person?

Don’t answer that.

Anyway, I think I am a wonderful person for making this Apple Cider Donut Bread Pudding. But I didn’t just stop there!! Oh no, I covered that sucka in a warm Apple Cider Caramel.

 

 

Why did I think that making a caramel sauce would be so hard? Why did I wait so long to do it? Insanity I tell you!!!

So this is not your average bread pudding… It ditches your bread behind for donuts!!!! And the best kind of donuts too! Man, apple cider donuts have a special place in my heart.

I’ve made ‘bread’ pudding before with day old croissants, which was awesome!! But during our recent ‘it’s-actually-too-cold-to-go-apple-picking’ apple picking experience, we picked up some day old apple cider donuts. Perfectly marked down and perfectly imperfect for this recipe!!!

The bread pudding is super easy. The caramel actually is easy as well- I swear! So it will be super easy to enjoy this dessert at your Thanksgiving this year!!

It will make everyone oohh and ahhh!!

Apple Cider Donut Bread Pudding with Apple Cider Caramel

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

For the Bread Pudding

• 12 Apple Cider Donuts, 1 day old
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 Cups milk
• 1/2 Cup heavy cream
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

For the Caramel

• 2 Cups apple cider
• 1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 Cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 Cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Process

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8×8 square baking pan, or a 2 quart casserole dish.
2. Break apart your donuts into 8 pieces each. Place in your baking dish.
3. Beat the eggs and combine with the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Slowly, evenly pour over the donut pieces. Let sit for 15 minutes to soak in the liquid.
4. Bake for 45 minnutes, or until set in the center.
5. While the bread pudding is baking, prepare your caramel. Using a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, bring the apple cider to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and slowly cook until cider has reduced from 2 cups to 1/4 Cup. It will be fairly thick and syrupy.
6. Add the sugar, cream, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring continuously. You’ll want it to be syrupy at this point.
7. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla extract. Transfer to a heat-proof container and let cool.
8. Serve your warm bread pudding with a healthy drizzling of caramel and some whipped cream. (You will likely have to reheat the caramel sauce for drizzling consistency if it cools or you store it for a few days as the caramel thicken as it cools.)

Caramel slightly adapted from Bashful Bao