photo by Chelsie Craig / styling by Claire Saffitz / Bon Appetit
Serves 10
This is a combination cobbler and bread pudding that is perfect for Rosh Hashannah dessert. It appears in this month’s Bon Appetit magazine and I’ve done just a small amount of editing to make it pareve and added a bit more spices. It comes out very pretty. Make sure to place something under the baking dish as some of the cooking juices may spill over.
10 tablespoons unsalted margarine, room temperature, plus more for pan
½ cup sugar
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg AND a pinch of cloves
½ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
Pinch of kosher salt
2 lb. apples or pears (can be made with peaches, plums or blueberries)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 loaf challah , sliced ½” thick (you’ll need 12–15)
Maple syrup and pareve vanilla ice cream (for serving)
Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom, and salt in a small bowl. Toss fruit, vanilla, and ¼ cup sugar mixture in a medium bowl; set aside.
Spread 10 tablespoons margarine in a thin layer across each slice of bread, working margarine all the way to the edges (you might have extra margarine, depending on the size of your slices). Generously sprinkle remaining sugar mixture over greased side of bread. Add any leftover sugar to reserved fruit. Fit about half of bread slices along bottom and up sides of prepared dish, placing sugared side down and overlapping slightly. Scatter reserved fruit over and top with remaining slices of bread, placing sugared side up and shingling to cover fruit. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Set a cast-iron skillet on top to weigh down; bake until juices are bubbling, 50–60 minutes.
Carefully remove dish from oven; remove skillet and foil. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 10–15 minutes more. Let cool 20 minutes.
Divide baked cinnamon toast among plates, top with a scoop of pareve ice cream, and drizzle with maple syrup.
Do Ahead: Dessert can be baked 1 day ahead. Let cool, then store tightly wrapped at room temperature. Reheat, uncovered, in a 300° oven.
