Apple Pecan Bread Pudding

Today at the grocery store I thought my purse had been stolen from my cart. I frantically retraced my steps. When I got to the produce section, I saw my purse sitting in another cart......alas, it had not been stolen, I had taken someone else cart....sigh. Poor stranger who was left, wondering where their oranges, bananas and Brussel sprouts had gone.  Oh well, I left with the apples that were in my original cart and my purse. Thank goodness... for without those apples this glorious dessert wouldn't have been born. Its a winner! So yummy, and it leaves your house smelling like a cinnamon miracle!  

Ingredients:

1 loaf french bread

1 quart half and half

-apples filling- 

4 granny smith apples, pealed and cut into bitesized pieces

4 Tbs butter

1/2 Tbs cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

-egg mixture-

4 eggs

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 Tbs vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 Tbs cinnamon

-streusel topping-

1 cup packed brown sugar 

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter cut into pieces (room temp)

Directions:

preheat oven to 325

1) Cube the loaf of bread, put it in a bowl with the half and half and leave it to soak for about an hour.

2) Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet...add chopped apples, cinnamon, nutmeg. Cook until the apples are tender about 5 min. Add the brown sugar to the apples and cook until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside.

3) In a medium sized bowl whisk eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. 

4) Pour egg mixture into the soaked bread. Pour Half of the egg/bread mixture into a 9x13 pan. Pour 1/2 of the apple mixture on top of the bread...repeat with the rest of the bread mixture and apples. 

5) In a medium sized bowl prepare the streusel topping.  Mix brown sugar, chopped pecans, flour...add butter. I combine using my fingers...pressing it together until it resembles coarse crumbs, then sprinkle it evenly on top of the bread pudding.

6) Bake for about 70 min, until pudding is set. Covering the top with tinfoil when the top starts to brown...35 min in.