Apple-Apple Bread Pudding

I've always been suspicious of bread pudding. Served buffet style in a cafeteria or at a potluck, bread pudding usually looks gloppy and unappealing. And then just think about it: it's made with bread and pudding? This always sounded like a strange combination to me. But Dorie Greenspan says she's always been intrigued by its "cozy name" and has always loved it.

I have faith in Dorie so I began making this recipe with an open mind.

This recipe has many steps:

• stale the bread
• carmelize the apples
• layer the bread (spread with apple butter) and apples
• cook the custard of milk, cream, eggs and vanilla
• pour the custard over the bread and apples
• set the pan on the counter and give it the "back-of-the-spoon" treatment to push the bread into the custard
• wait 30 minutes and repeat the back-of-the-spoon treatment
• put the pan in a roasting pan half filled with hot water
• put the whole set-up in the oven and bake nearly 90 minutes
• cool
• eat

But let me tell you, this is worth it! The yummy smell that filled the kitchen was warm, cozy and delicious. And it tasted just as good as it smelled! I can enthusiastically endorse Dorie's bread pudding although having tasted something this good, I suspect that cafeteria bread pudding will fall far short by comparison!