Ingredients
- 3 cups milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- salt, a pinch
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus butter for the pan
- 8 slices day-old bread, crusts removed
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups peeled peeled cored chopped apples
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350°.
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Add milk, sugar, salt, and butter to a small saucepan over low heat; warm just until the butter melts.
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Meanwhile, butter a 1 ½ quart or 8-inch square baking dish (glass is good) and cut or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces?not too small.
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Put the bread in the baking dish and pour the hot milk over it; let it sit for a few minutes, occasionally submerging any pieces of bread that rise to the top.
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Beat the eggs briefly and stir them into the bread mixture along with the apples and cardamom.
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Set the baking dish in a larger baking pan and pour enough hot water into the baking pan to come up about 1 inch from the top of the dish.
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Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife inserted in the center comes out clean or nearly clean; the center should be just a little wobbly.
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Run under the broiler for about 30 seconds to brown the top, if you like.
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Serve hot or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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To reheat, cover with foil and heat in a 325° oven for about 15 minutes, remove foil and heat for another 5 minutes or so for a crisper crust.