Description
A comforting, custardy dessert that combines stale challah bread with sweet honey, tart apples, and warm spices. This make-ahead friendly dish is perfect for Rosh Hashanah or any holiday gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large loaf stale challah bread (about 16–20 oz / 450-560g), torn into 1-inch cubes
- 3 medium fresh apples (preferably a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp), peeled and diced
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Tear the stale challah into 1-inch cubes and spread them on a baking sheet to air-dry for 10 minutes if not already stale.
- Peel, core, and dice the apples into ½-inch cubes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, milk, honey, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
- Place the torn challah cubes into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Scatter the diced apples evenly over the bread.
- Pour the custard mixture over the bread and apples. Use a spatula to press down gently, ensuring all bread is submerged.
- Let the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the liquid.
- Drizzle melted butter over the top if using.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set (slight jiggle is okay). Cover with foil if the top browns too quickly.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Stale bread is crucial for the best texture; fresh bread should be dried out in the oven or left out overnight. Do not rush the 15-20 minute soaking step. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free challah. For a dairy-free version, swap cream/milk for oat or coconut milk and use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Jewish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 8
Keywords: Rosh Hashanah, challah bread pudding, apple dessert, honey dessert, holiday baking, make-ahead dessert, gluten-free option