Spiced Caramel-Apple Bread Pudding

Curl up in a cozy chair with this bread pudding. If you have leftover Toasted Pecan-Caramel Sauce, use it as a topping for low-fat ice cream. This recipe costs $1.18 per serving. I found this recipe in Southern Living magazine. I have not tried this recipe, but I'm posting it for safe keeping.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Bread Pudding

• 1  granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 16  ounces  Italian bread, cut into bite size pieces
•  vegetable oil cooking spray
• 3  large eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups 2% low-fat milk
• 1  cup apple cider
• 1⁄4 cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Toasted Pecan-Caramel Sauce

• 1⁄4 cup  chopped pecans
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon light corn syrup
• 1⁄2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons butter

Directions

1. Saute apple and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes or until tender. Stir together bread and apple in an 11"x7"-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together eggs, milk, apple cider, brown sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; pour over bread mixture in baking dish. Cover and chill 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350. Bake bread mixture 45-50 minutes or until top is crisp and golden brown. Serve warm with Toasted Pecan-Caramel Sauce.
4. Toasted Pecan-Caramel Sauce: Makes 3/4 cup. Prep 10 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8-10 minutes or until toasted and fraqrant.
6. Sprinkle sugar in an even layer in a small saucepan. Stir together syrup and 1/3 cup water, and pour over sugar in saucepan. Cook, without stirring, over medium-high heat 12-14 minutes or until is sugar dissolved and mixture is golden. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in evaporated milk. (Mixture will bubble). Stir in butter and toasted pecans.