Murray's Heirloom Apple Butter Bread Pudding

This autumnal bread pudding has layers and layers of flavor. First, there's the custard, which is boosted with Murray's beautifully spiced Heirloom Apple Butter, perfectly highlighting the flavor of the fresh apples. Then there's the caramel made with gjetost, a sweet, toffee-colored Norwegian cheese that adds complexity to the sauce. And we're not done yet—it's all topped with whipped mascarpone, for a cool, creamy finishing touch. It's restaurant-quality dessert, made in your home kitchen.

Featuring

prep time
35minutes
assembly time
30minutes
Serves
6people

preparation & ingredients

3 large eggs

1 9.6-oz. jar Murray's Heirloom Apple Butter

1 loaf of bread (1 lb., we like challah or brioche), torn into golf-ball-size chunks

1 Gala or Fuji apple, cut into half-inch cubes

3 1/2 cups half-and-half

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3 ½ oz. Gjetost

1 tsp. light molasses

1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk

1 8.8-oz. container Murray's Mascarpone

1/3 cup half-and-half

2 1/2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

1 ea Treat Spiced Pecans 3oz

For the Gjetost Caramel: Grate the gjetost with the small holes of a cheese grater into a small mixing bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream and molasses, and whisk until molasses dissolves. Put the saucepan over medium heat, and when it begins to simmer, slowly whisk in the grated gjetost; continue stirring until the sauce thickens and has a uniform color. Remove from the heat, but keep in a warm area.

For the Bread Pudding: Preheat oven to 350 F, and grease a 32-oz. baking dish. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until fully combined. Add the half-and-half, kosher salt, and apple butter, and whisk until a beautiful, smooth mixture is formed; set aside. Add the bread and apples to a large mixing bowl. Pour the custard into the large mixing bowl, making sure to fully scrape any bits of apple butter that may have gathered at the bottom. Mix thoroughly, until every piece of bread is saturated. Transfer to baking dish, ensuring that the apple chunks are evenly distributed. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and crispy on top. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

For the Whipped Mascarpone: In a small mixing bowl, combine the mascarpone, half-and-half, and powdered sugar, and whisk carefully. Once the ingredients are mostly mixed, increase the force and speed of whisking to remove any stubborn lumps from the mixture. Set aside.

Assembly: Cut the bread pudding into portions of 4 or 6 depending on how many you are serving. Carefully remove portions from the baking dish with a spatula, and place on serving plates. Generously drizzle the caramel on top, followed by a heaping dollop of whipped mascarpone and an additional drizzle of caramel. For added flavor, chop up some Treat Spiced Pecans and sprinkle on top.