Apple and Walnut Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Cider Sauce

apple-walnut filling

1C roasted walnut halves

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 lb. Fuji, pippin or apples of choice, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. apple cider

2 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

custard

1 (1 lb.) loaf challah bread or Italian bread (crusts removed), cut into

  ¾-inch cubes

3 large eggs

3/4C firmly packed brown sugar

2C cream

1C milk

1C apple cider

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. nutmeg

Cinnamon-cider sauce

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1-1/3C firmly packed brown sugar

2C apple cider

2 tsp. cinnamon

vanilla or cinnamon ice cream

For the filling:  Heat the butter in a sauté pan and sauté the apples until well coated.  Add the apple cider, brown sugar and cinnamon and

sauté until the apples are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat, add the walnuts and set 

aside.  Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and fill with bread cubes.  Add the apple-walnut mixture and mix well, distributing evenly.

For the custard:  Whisk together the eggs and brown sugar.  Whisk in the cream, milk, cider, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.  Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and apples and toss well.  Let soak for 20 minutes.  Flip the bread cubes over with a spatula so that the drier bread on top ends up on the bottom.  Let soak an additional 20 minutes if necessary.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Bake the pudding for 45 to 55 minutes, or until puffed and golden and the custard is set.  Let pan sit for 15 minutes before serving.

For the sauce:  Bring the butter, brown sugar, apple cider and cinnamon to a boil in a pan, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the mixture is bubbly, syrupy and reduced to 1-1/2 cups.

To serve, top slices of warm bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a general drizzle of cider sauce.

MAKES:  8 – 10 servings

Stuffed Pork Tenderloins

stuffing

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2C thinly sliced onion

1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into dice

1 tsp. thyme leaves

1 tsp. sage leaves, chopped

1C kale, arugula or collard greens, finely chopped

1C parmesan or manchego cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 pork tenderloins, trimmed, butterflied and pound out

6 bacon slices (optional)

sauce

apple, peeled, cored and cut into small dice

3/4C apple cider

1/2C dry white wine

1/4C chicken stock

1 tsp. sage leaves, chopped

1 tsp. thyme leaves, chopped

½ stick unsalted butter, soft

Heat the oil in a sauté pan; add the onion and sauté until soft.  Add the apple, thyme and sage and cook until the apple begins to soften.  Add the greens and cook until wilted.  Transfer to a food processor and let cool.  Add the cheese and pulse two or three times.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the stuffing among the two tenderloins, wrap in bacon and tie.  Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and sear the tenderloins on all sides. 

stuffed pork tenderloins

page two

Preheat a cookie sheet in a 400F oven for 10 minutes.  Transfer the tenderloins to the cookie sheet in the oven and continue cooking until an internal thermometer reads 140F – about 20 minutes.    Remove from the oven and set let rest 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the pan the pork was sautéed in add the apple and sauté slightly.  Add the cider and wine and reduce to 1/3 cup.  Add the chicken stock, sage and thyme and reduce slightly.  Add any juices from the pork and heat.  Turn off the heat and add the soft butter.  Whisk in and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the strings from the pork, slice and divide among the plates.  Spoon the sauce around and serve.

MAKES:  8 servings

Apple Pie Bars

Crust

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, soft

1/3C sugar

1-1/2C flour

¼ tsp. salt

Filling

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4C light brown sugar

6 Granny Smith apples (about 3 lb.), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2C water, as necessary

Topping

1/3C toasted walnuts

1-1/2C quick cooking oats

1C flour

3/4C light brown sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, chilled

vanilla ice cream (optional)

For the crust:  Preheat oven to 375F.  Cream butter and sugar in a food processor.  Pulse in the flour and salt to form a soft dough.  Press the dough into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan.  Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes or until golden.  Let cool on a rack.

For the filling:  Melt the butter and the brown sugar in a sauté pan, add the apples and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally,

until softened.  Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg and cook until the apples are caramelized and very tender and the liquid has evaporated.  Add the water and let cool.

For the topping:  Mix the oats, walnuts, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a food processor and pulse.  Pulse in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Spread the apple filling over the crust and scatter the crumbs on top, pressing them; lightly into an even layer.  Bake in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes or until the topping is golden, rotating the pan halfway through baking.  Let cool and cut into 2-inch bars.

If desired, serve with ice cream.

MAKES:  2 dozen bars