Butterscotch Bread Pudding with English Muffin, Apple & Nutmeg

Contains:  Gluten, wheat, dairy, added sugar.  Is:  Vegetarian, a dessert.

I adapted the recipe below, but halved it.  I also made some other significant changes due to 1) this being made for an online competition using burger buns (or as I was allowed, English muffins), and 2) the addition of apple, because I simply felt like it.  (I had apples in the house begging for me to use them, please, they pleaded!)  And, since there were apples in the mix, I dashed in a bit of nutmeg.  You could use instead the same amount of cinnamon or allspice, ,or skip this entirely.  

I also used less sugar.  3/4ths a cup rather than a full one.  In this case, I ran out – and I’m very happy not indulging the sweet tooth I don’t really have.  

UNFORTUNATELY from my standpoint, this bread pudding ended up too sweet (FOR ME, I must note) and I have adaptation suggestions at the end of this.  This is indeed far sweeter than any bread pudding I’ve eaten to date.  I mean – it is good, and if you want an all-out dessert, this dish will fill the bill.  

Butterscotch Bread Pudding Recipe | Allrecipes

NOTE: Since the pans were filled to the top, do add a baking tray underneath. As you can see, there was some syrupy overflow!

Prep Time:  30 minutes.
Cook Time:  1 hour.
Rest Time:  Either serve warm, or chill for later.
Serves: 6-8.
Cuisine:  Is a Noodle-Scratcher?  Dunno, but suspect English.
Leftovers: YES!

Butterscotch Bread Pudding with English Muffin, Apple & Nutmeg

INGREDIENTS:

• Three quality English muffins (about 5.25 ounces), 2 or three days old, and dry to the touch.  Open them, and shred or cut them coarsely. 
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/2 apple, cored and de-seeded, and diced. Choose one more on the tart end of the scale (I used a Cortland). 
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, allspice, or cinnamon.  (I chose nutmeg.)

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 175 degrees C.   

Butter or oil a 9×13 inch baking dish, or in this case, a small meatloaf pan sized one, plus a pie dish.  

Combine all ingredients into a suitable bowl. Let soak about 15 minutes.  Mix by hand.  The mixture will look quite a bit liquid.. Pour into greased pan.  

Bake for 1 hour, until nearly set.   Smaller pans may be ready in 55 minutes.  The bread pudding should retain some wiggle, it shouldn’t be solid, although a little crisp/crunch is welcome atop.  You can serve warm or cold.  Optionally you can top AFTER COOKING with a dollop of whipped cream and/or a sprinkle of ground nutmeg, allspice, or cinnamon.  Or, extra slices of apple.

NOTES FOR THE FUTURE:  This is for someone who, like me, hardly eats sweets at all:  

• Use 1/2 cup brown sugar. 
• Go even tart-er with the apple.
• Use 1/3 cup butterscotch drops.  

I am freezing the rest of this dish in small aliquots.  I do enjoy the flavors, and the nutmeg kicked things up a notch for me. 

 

---

Some background info:  I have always loved bread pudding from childhood on, especially if I was at a locale where I could carefully (and reasonably-politely, perhaps unknowingly…) pick out any unwarranted or invading raisins.  The latter ruins a good dish which is already going to be tasty in its own right.  I added the apples because I don’t mind fresh fruit, just not dehydrated and gummy-textured foods.  (Note, however, even the source recipe for this dessert didn’t use raisins, either!)  Seriously, grapes are far better eaten fresh just as they are, or perhaps made into wines. In Vino Veritas!  

This recipe is linked at:  

Fiesta Friday, this week’s co-host Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook.  

Full Plate Thursday.  

What’s for Dinner?  Sunday Link Up