Simple Bread Pudding

This is an adaptation from the Joy of Cooking version. Made to use up leftover stale bread in the fridge.

9 x 11 baking dish; larger lasagna pan; mixer; bowls, etc.

Preheat to 350. Serves 6-8.

INGREDIENTS

cubed stale bread, about 4 cups, 1/2 in. cubes (I used half old baguette, half white loaf.)
eggs, 4, separated
sugar, 1/3 cup + 2 T + 1t
milk, whole, 3 cups
cider, hard, 1 cup (Doesn't have to be hard.)
raisins, 1/3 cup + 2 T
apple, about 1/3 cup finely chopped (I used 2/3 of a small apple.)
cinnamon, 1/2 t + sprinkle

DIRECTIONS

1. Cube bread in put in large mixing bowl. Prep apple.
   
2. Heat milk to warm, not boiling. When hot, whisk in cider. It will start to curdle, so whisk in quickly and then pour over bread and mix.
   
3. Combine egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar. Add with 1/2 cinnamon, chopped apple, and 1/3 cup raisins to bread mixture. Combine.
4. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Beat in about 2T sugar. Fold egg whites into bread mixture.
5. Transfer bread mixture to 9x11 baking dish. Top with 2 T raisins, 1 t sugar, and sprinkle of cinnamon.
6. Place 9 x 11 dish in larger lasagna pan. Place in oven. Fill measuring cup with hot water from tap. Pour into the lasagna pan wen it's in the oven to create a bath.
7. Bake at 300F for 40 minutes or until set.
   
8. To remove, use a baster to remove some of the water form the lasagna pan, then lift out the pudding dish. This makes it easier.

It's a very moist pudding because of the apples, but a very nice texture when cooked through since the egg whites add some lift. I served this with maple beef breakfast sausages. Wonderful complement, and you could prepare the dish with sausage pieces in it.