Dutch Apple Bread Pudding

I love bread puddings and am always looking for different recipes for them. I haven't tried this yet but sure looks good. This recipe makes 24 servings. It can be easily halved.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb  braided  challah, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices
• 8  granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin (about)
• 12  eggs
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 4  cups milk
• 2  cups  whipping cream
• 1  tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1  cup  chilled butter
• 1  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1  cup flour
• 1  tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Coat with vegetable oil spray or butter a 13-by-9-inch pan or a 10-by-121/2-inch pan.
2. Line bottom of pan with one layer of bread slices. This should fill about one-third of the depth of the pan. Cover bread completely with one layer of apples. The apples should almost reach the top of the pan.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs just until all the yolks are broken. Add honey and mix well. Add milk, cream and vanilla and mix well.
4. Slowly pour custard mixture over apples and bread, giving the liquid time to be absorbed into the bread. (If there is custard left over, pour into individual oven-proof dishes and bake in a water bath until done.).
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Prepare streusel by combining butter, sugars, flour and cinnamon in a food processor, or combine with a pastry cutter or with hands. Do not overmix or butter will be creamy. Mixture should be crumbly.
7. Evenly crumble streusel over custard mixture in pan; mounding slightly if needed. If you have any leftover streusel it can be sprinkled over leftover custard before baking.
8. Place the pan of bread pudding in the oven on a sheet pan with sides. Or, set in the center of a larger baking pan. Pour water into the sheet pan, filling it about halfway up to make a water bath. Bake in preheated oven 11/2 hours or until custard is set, turning pan halfway through cooking and adding more water if needed. When done, remove from oven and cool about 30 minutes. Serve warm or refrigerate and reheat later. Makes 24 servings.