Apple cider mill donut bread pudding

Apple Cider mill donut bread pudding

(makes 24 pieces)

So there's a little history with this fall comfort dish. I created this dish because I was hungry for cider mill donuts,  no really that's why. At the time I was working as Assistant Pastry Chef for the Royal Park Hotel and we were creating new fall desserts for the restaurant menu. So, as I was driving to the cider mill I was thinking how I could take such a fall iconic item and create a dish. I was determined. Our Michelin Star Executive Head Chef is a huge fan for bread pudding, he's from Scotland so it kind of makes sense? So with that in mind, and being in apple season & thinking of how cherries are a Michigan staple, it all came to me. The Head Chef loved all these elements together, that it ended up being on the restaurant dessert menu along with the banquet dessert menu as well! IT was a fall hit for everyone to enjoy! I too, hope you will enjoy this as much as everyone else!   

INGREDIENTS:
1 dz cinnamon & sugar cake doughnuts 
1 Honey crisp apple (diced) 
1 cup dried cherries 
1 tablespoon of cinnamon 
2 cups vanilla bean custard (see below)

24 Muffin wrappers

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Vanilla Bean Custard

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

6 egg yolks

In a medium pot, combine cream, milk, sugar and vanilla; and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk the yolks in the hot milk until completely combined. Set aside. 

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PREP:

Preheat oven to 320 degrees F

1. Crumble doughnuts into a mixing bowl.

2. Add diced apple's, cherries, and cinnamon. Toss together.

3. Pour custard mix over doughnuts and mix together so custard soaks into everything and set aside.

4. Line muffin pan with muffin wrappers.

5. Scoop doughnut mixture into muffin pan and bake at 320 for about 11 minutes or you can bake in a greased 9x13 pan.

6. Once cooled, dust with powder sugar and enjoy! Best served warm.

For more excitement- Hour Detroit Magazine has a section called Shared Plates, and it's a contest that they do every month with a different food challenge. Well they were looking for "Best Apple recipe"  & "Left overs" for the November issue. So, when I had seen this, it was a no brainier to enter my Apple cider mill donut bread pudding recipe.  With much success, I won! So, you will be able to find my dessert pictured in the November 2018 issue and you can find my recipe on their website.