Apple and almond bread pudding with pear and vanille sauce

A few days ago I was invited for a cup of tea …

I browsed the net for inspiration and I stumbled into one of my favourite Italian blogs, Alice Savorelli's 'Cotto e Crudo'. Alice's delicious recipe for a vegan bread pudding immediately appealed to me. Nonetheless I decided to give it a twist, varying quantity and adding other ingredients, like almonds (which I love) and a soothing serving sauce.

 
 
Ingredients for the apple and almond pudding (serves 4-6):

stale wholegrain bread: 300 gr

2 small apples: about 240 gr

apple juice: 200 ml

rice malt syrup: 2 spoonfuls

kamut milk drink: 350 ml

vegetable cream: 150 ml

minced peeled almonds: 100 gr

ground cinnamon: ½ teaspoon

Ingredients for the pear and vanilla sauce:

ripe pears: 3 pears, about 500 gr

rice malt syrup: 2 spoonfuls

water: 150 ml

vanilla stick: 1

Peel the pears, remove the core and chop. Place the pears, the water, the rice malt syrup and the vanilla seeds in a small casserole.

Simmer gently for about 25 minutes until the pears have melted completely and blend the mixture.

Pour the apple juice, the vegetable cream, the kamut milk drink, the rice malt syrup into a large bowl. Add the ground cinnamon and stir.

Chop the bread into small pieces and stir it into the liquid mixture. Let it soak for at least one hour or more, and add more kamut milk drink if necessary. Mash the bread with a fork or mix with a food processor when it is completely melted.

Add the almonds and stir. Grate the apples, add them to the bread mixture and mix until combined. Divide into the cupcakes paper and bake at 180° C for at least one hour. Check for doneness with a toothpick and if necessary bake for another 15-20 minutes.

Serve either warm or cold with the pear sauce.