Scheiterhaufen (Austrian Apple Bread Pudding)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Deep ceramic or glass baking dish (approximately 25 x 18cm)
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Hand mixer or stand mixer for meringue
• •Wide bowl for soaking bread

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the bread

   Slice the stale Semmeln or bread into rounds about one centimeter thick. Lay them in a wide bowl and pour the warmed milk over them. Let them sit for ten to fifteen minutes, turning once. You want the bread to drink up the milk and soften without dissolving into mush. It should hold its shape when you lift a slice, just barely. Stale bread is the whole point here. Fresh bread turns to paste. If your bread is still soft, cut it and leave it uncovered on the counter overnight, or dry it gently in a low oven for ten minutes.

   Semmeln, the Austrian bread rolls with that crisp crust and soft interior, are ideal because they absorb custard beautifully while keeping some structure. A good white sandwich loaf works too, but avoid anything with seeds or a heavy crust.
2. 2

   Make the custard base

   In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 50g of the sugar, the Vanillezucker, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt until the mixture turns pale and slightly thick. This takes about two minutes of steady whisking. The lemon zest matters. It lifts the whole dish and keeps the sweetness honest. Set the egg whites aside in a clean, dry bowl for the Schneehaube later.

3. 3

   Prepare the apples and raisins

   Peel, core, and slice the apples thinly, about three millimeters. Toss them with the cinnamon. Drain the rum-soaked raisins but don't squeeze them dry. You want them plump and fragrant, carrying that rum into every layer. If you've skipped the rum soak, the raisins will sit there like dry little pebbles and the whole dish suffers for it.

   Use tart apples that hold their shape when baked. Boskoop is the classic Austrian choice. Braeburn or Granny Smith work well outside Austria. Avoid anything mealy or too sweet. The apples need to push back against the custard and sugar.
4. 4

   Layer the Scheiterhaufen

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Butter a deep baking dish generously, about 25 by 18 centimeters. Now build your pyre. Lay a single layer of soaked bread on the bottom, fitting the pieces snugly. Spread a layer of apple slices over the bread. Scatter some raisins and a few pine nuts. Spoon some of the egg yolk custard over everything. Repeat: bread, apples, raisins, nuts, custard. You want three layers, finishing with bread on top. Press the layers down gently with your hand so the custard seeps into every gap. Dot the top with small pieces of butter.

5. 5

   Bake the base

   Slide the dish into the oven and bake for 25 minutes. The custard needs time to set around the bread and the apples need to soften and release their juices into the layers below. When you pull it out, the top should be lightly golden and the custard should be just set, not still liquid in the center. It will still look a little wobbly. That's fine. The meringue goes on next.

6. 6

   Make the Schneehaube

   While the base bakes, whip the reserved egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. Add the remaining 30g of sugar gradually, a spoonful at a time, beating until the meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Schneehaube means snow cap, and that's exactly what it should look like. Don't rush the sugar. Adding it all at once gives you a grainy, weepy meringue instead of that smooth, marshmallow texture you're after.

   Your bowl and whisk must be completely free of fat. Even a trace of egg yolk will prevent the whites from whipping properly. If you're not sure, wipe the bowl with a cut lemon before you start.
7. 7

   Crown and finish

   Pull the baking dish from the oven. Spoon the meringue over the top in generous peaks and swirls, making sure it touches the edges of the dish on all sides. If the meringue doesn't seal to the edges, it will shrink away as it bakes. Use the back of the spoon to pull up little peaks. They'll toast golden and beautiful. Return the dish to the oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the Schneehaube turns golden on the peaks and stays white in the valleys.

8. 8

   Rest and serve

   Let the Scheiterhaufen rest for five minutes out of the oven. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve it warm from the dish, spooned onto plates. It's not a dish you slice neatly. It's a dish you scoop, and every spoonful should pull up layers of custardy bread, soft apples, rum-soaked raisins, and that golden meringue crown. Mahlzeit!

Chef Tips

• •The bread is the dish. Use proper Semmeln if you can get them, the Austrian rolls with a light, airy crumb. Day-old brioche works in a pinch, but avoid anything too dense or too sweet. The bread needs to absorb custard without losing all structure.
• •Soak your raisins in rum for at least an hour, longer if you can manage it. Overnight is best. Gretel always had a jar of rum-soaked raisins sitting on the counter, ready for whatever she was baking next. It's a habit worth stealing.
• •Don't skip the lemon zest in the custard. Without it, the whole dish tips into cloying sweetness. That bright, sharp note is what keeps your palate interested through every layer.
• •Serve this warm, not hot. Straight from the oven the custard is still too loose and the flavors haven't settled. Five minutes of resting lets everything come together. Ten minutes is fine too. It's forgiving.

Advance Preparation

• •The assembled, unbaked Scheiterhaufen (without meringue) can be covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours. The extra soaking time only improves the custard's penetration into the bread. Add the meringue and bake when ready to serve.
• •Rum-soaked raisins keep in a sealed jar in the cupboard for weeks. Make a big batch and you'll find uses for them constantly.
• •Leftover Scheiterhaufen reheats well in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, loosely covered with foil. The meringue won't be as crisp, but the custard layers actually improve overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 230g)