What should you do with all those apples you got apple picking? Make bread pudding, of course

I've said it before and I'll say it again (just do us both a favor and pretend its the first time you've heard me say this) I love fall. I just love it, reasons to layer up with sweaters, buy new sweaters, buy new boots. I still think the old "back-to-school" clothes shopping still applies to me...

With fall, comes the annual trek for New Yorker's to head to the "country" otherwise known as the suburbs (with no more then a maximum of 1 hour drive away) and pick this seasons harvest.
Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the drive and the very small escape out of the city, even if just for the day, true story.

Once home with the bags and bags of apples, the usual is apple pie, apple cake, rustic apple galettes,  and I was just recently told that I need to try putting freshly diced up honey crisp apples into vanilla flavored greek yogurt, this is, of course, super high on my list of things to try.....

This year I wanted to make a little something different. So I made a Maple, Apple, Cranberry bread pudding. I served it with salted caramel sauce and spiced whipped cream. Because everything should use a little salted caramel sauce and spiced whipped cream. Spiced whipped cream shouldn't scare you, I'm not putting any spicy flavors into it, all I do is add 2 Tablespoons of whole cloves and 1 tsp of Allspice into 1 cup Heavy cream, I let this sit in the fridge over night. The next day I strain it and then whip it up to med-soft peaks. There you have it spiced whipped cream*

Maple, Apple, Cranberry Bread Pudding

• 6 large eggs
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B) It gives more flavor when baking
• 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons apple brandy (such as applejack or Calvados)
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 1-pound loaf Brioche bread cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (6 1/2 to 7 cups)* Let sit out over night and dry out. 

*I used Brioche, and I left the crust on, I think it gives more texture to the bread pudding

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/4  pounds Granny Smith apples (about 3), peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices (about 7 cups)
• 1 1/4 pounds Honey crisp apples (about 3), peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/3-inch-thick, once all cut, combine apples together
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup plus additional for brushing (preferably Grade B)
• 1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• Whisk eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt in large bowl. Add milk, cream, and brandy and whisk until well blended. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and then add bread cubes and cranberries and press to submerge into custard. Let soak at least 30 minutes, occasionally pressing on bread cubes to submerge.

Meanwhile, position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter 9 X 13 glass or ceramic loaf pan (you want something good and thick so the bread pudding cooks better) 

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple slices and sauté until deep golden and beginning to soften, stirring and turning apple slices frequently, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup maple syrup, then brown sugar. Simmer until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens to syrup, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool. 

Mix half of apple slices into bread-custard mixture. Transfer bread pudding mixture to prepared pan. Arrange remaining apple slices atop bread pudding however suits you best. Spoon any remaining syrup from skillet over apple slices. 

Bake bread pudding until puffed and cracked on top, apples are deep brown, and instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pudding registers 170°F to 180°F, about 1 hour 30 minutes (pudding will rise high above top of pan). Remove from oven and let rest at room temperature 45 minutes to 1 hour (pudding will fall). Brush apples on top of pudding with additional maple syrup. Spoon pudding into bowls and serve warm, room temp or cold, whatever suits you best, this is your bread pudding. Scoop on a generous portion of the clove spice scented whip cream on top, or on the side and enjoy. 

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup Heavy cream

1 tsp sea salt

Pour sugar into sauce pan, pour water and do not pour, let come to a boil on a med-high heat, once  it starts to boil, lower the heat and look for the sugar to turn a dark amber color, once it does, remove from heat. Carefully add the heavy cream, it will bubble and steam so stand back. Stir till combined, if it hasn't come together, put back on the heat and stir till well combined. Pour into a bowl and let cool stirring occasionally. Once cooled, sprinkle in salt and stir.