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Back when my husband Jack worked for a food service management company (quite a few years ago), his boss challenged everyone on his team to develop a recipe using leftover bread or rolls. In food service, nothing should go to waste, so the motivation behind this contest was to figure out ways to cook with day-old bread or rolls that could then be served to customers.
The person on the team who came up with the winning recipe would receive a 32-inch television as a prize. Jack chuckled when he told me this this story because back then – a 32-inch TV weighed more than he did, and it took two people to carry! But being a single dad at the time, Jack really wanted to win that TV!
Jack had just gone apple picking with his kids – and he came up with Jack’s Apple Pudding recipe! He used fresh Cortland apples and leftover rolls from a catering event the night before.
This simple, delicious, perfectly sweet and spicy apple pudding recipe is somewhat similar to a bread pudding, but the addition of shredded apples helps give it a creamy texture. Served hot out of the oven and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side – this apple pudding is a winner!
No pun intended – Jack really did win the contest and that 32-inch television, thanks to this apple pudding recipe. It also became a customer favorite in the facility he managed.
The recipe below serves six – but the original recipe Jack created served 200 guests!
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Jack’s Apple Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Italian bread or rolls processed in a food processor until crumbly but not fine. Do not remove crusts.
- 1/2 cup melted butter plus more to butter the pan
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 Cortland apples, peeled, cored and shredded on the large holes of a box grater (any hard baking apple is fine)
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Butter a 9×9-inch baking pan
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse bread until crumbly but not too fine; a little larger than a grain of rice. Pour into a medium to large bowl.
- Mix in melted butter and both sugars.
- Add baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine.
- Add eggs, milk and shredded apples (plus any liquid from shredding the apples) into the mixture and stir.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop hot pudding into serving bowls and top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
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Really great easy to make and really good with ice cream.
Thanks Phil!
Easy to follow but the result was only meh. Not very sweet.
Sorry you were disappointed Daw
I’m making Jack’s Apple Pudding today and don’t own a food processor so I’ve improvised with my box grater and leftover homemade bread buns that are a bit stale.
I think it will work beautifully. 😁 Thanks for sharing this delicious looking recipe on a crisp fall day here.
You’re very welcome Anne – a box grater (and a little elbow grease!) is definitely a great option for prepping this recipe.
Are the 2 1/2 cups of bread measured before or after the food processor?
Hi Patti – After the food processor – so 2 1/2 cups of bread crumbs. (I will clarify how that is written – thanks for your question!)
Can you prepare this ahead at all? Like refrigerate it for a couple of hours before baking?
You might see some discoloration of the apples if you do that. I’d suggest slightly under baking it, then reheat it in a warm oven wrapped in foil. Hope that helps!
Martha,
Well, fall is upon us here in Middle TN, and it is my favorite time of year. I think maybe the reason is because it is the shortest and most beautiful season we have. As a last hooray with summer tomatoes, I made your Tomato Pie recently, and we decided it was best ever, or as my husband says “it’s a keeper”. I followed your advice on draining the tomatoes, and I think that’s the secret.
By the way, my Pear Chunkies were great, and I did saute them a bit in butter as you suggested. Your added notes on what you have found to work for you in the recipes you share always add to a better and more tasty dish.
Next on my list is the Acorn Squash recipe. I’ve never been a winter squash,pumpkin or sweet potato fan, however Hubby is, and you are turning my taste buds around.
God bless,
Linda
So glad you both are enjoying the recipes Linda! I’m excited to try the Chunkies recipes with pears myself! Thanks for taking the time to write back – I appreciate the update!