This apple bread pudding is made with panettone, an Italian specialty bread with raisins and almonds. It’s a sweet treat perfect for the holidays.
To say I was excited when I received a Bauducco Panettone as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program would be a huge understatement.
You see, panettone epitomizes the holiday season in my family. I’m pretty sure 95% of Americans have no idea what Panettone even is but for me, it’s Christmas and New Year’s morning, bounding down the stairs and being more excited to cut into the loaf of bread than open presents (yes, it’s that good).
I grew up in a very Italian American family. Sunday dinners of “macaroni & meatballs” were at grandma & grandpa’s for years during our childhood, Christmas Eve was celebrated with the 7 fishes (or close to it), my great-grandma called my brother “Adriano” instead of Adrian and bought us all underwear for Christmas, and panettone, which originated from the area of Milan close to where most of my mother’s side of the family comes from in Italy, was eaten Christmas morning for breakfast and usually again on New Year’s if we were lucky enough to have 2 loaves that year.
I can remember trying to describe panettone to my friends growing up and struggling to find the words to adequately convey the deliciousness this “bread” is.
It’s sweet, it’s cakelike, it’s moist (when they’re fresh), it’s buttery. Honestly, it’s perfection in a bite. I’m sure the childhood memories that accompany the bread add a bit of bias to my opinion of it but, if you don’t like this stuff, you’re just not human.
Considering I’ve had many pieces of panettone in my lifetime already and know I love it, I wanted to do something different with this one. Something that highlighted the amazing sweetness and flavor to the bread but also honored the fall season we’re in right now. And that’s how this apple bread pudding was born.
It was like a trip down memory lane with each bite being simultaneously transported back to Christmas as a kid and picking apples in the fall. The sweetness of both the bread and the apples is incredibly warming both literally and figuratively. I’m sorry if this sounds cheesy and you’re sitting here reading this thinking “is she seriously waxing poetically about bread right now?” but yes, yes I am. Panettone has this nostalgic effect on me that makes me remember everything good about family & youth and any food that can do that deserves some love.
Panettone Apple Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 lb panettone bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 apple, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/4 cup golden raisins, plumped in warm water
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- sliced almonds for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Toast bread cubes on baking sheet for 10-12 minutes, tossing once.
- Grease 9x13 baking dish generously.
- Combine bread cubes, chopped apples and raisins in large bowl. In a separate bowl beat eggs and sugar.
- Add in vanilla, spices and salt and beat until combined.
- In a small saucepan on low-medium heat combine milk, almond milk and molasses until just heated, not boiling.
- Slowly beat milk & molasses mixture into egg & sugar mixture.
- Pour bread cubes, apple, raisins into greased baking dish.
- Pour egg & milk mixture over top and coat bread cubes evenly.
- Top with sliced almonds if using and let sit for 5-10 minutes before baking in oven for approximately 35-40 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have you ever tried panettone?
What food do you associate with the holidays?
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Oh my, this looks amazing and it’s been ages since I made bread pudding. I’ve never even heard of panettone, but that looks amazing. My hubby loves all things apple so I might just have to make this for him soon!
I know you watch the Food Network so you’ll totally get this, but this was such a good post! It’s like watching that Food Network show where you are watching someone make a delicious meal while talking about a past experience and how it reminds them of their childhood. I have NO idea what Penettone is, but after reading this, I’m DYING to try it.
Oh my, this looks amazing and it’s been ages since I made bread pudding. Just thinking about the warm gooeyness makes me want to run to the kitchen!
that looks so good and you were a better chef than me…we just ate the bread we received…no amazing recipes like yours were created with what I received..ha! :)
I’ve never had bread pudding before but this looks SO delicious!
Hi Gina! I’m checking out your blog for the first time and LOVE that you have a panettone recipe today! I studied abroad in Florence and first experienced this treat there – I still buy it at holidays when I see it in the huge tall cartons in specialty stores. I never considered making it myself but I know I would love spending an evening in the kitchen, my Italian pop music circa 2004 cranked up on my iPod, baking this treat. Thanks for including it :)
I made some bread pudding with mine, too! I just used the recipe they provided though :)
I had never heard of Panettone when I received it!
This looks good…!
Mmm this looks SO incredibly delicioous! My hubby loves all things apple so I might just have to make this for him soon!
Ok so insted of panettone for holiday breakfast, you’ll have to make the bread pudding
panettone! Lets start with it as dessert for Thanksgiving!