Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding - Zemlovka

My grandma was a wonderful cook. I remember growing up I used love to come over for dinner every Friday night. Friday was a Meatless Day at grandma's house and that meant something delicious and maybe sweet would be served.

One of my favorite dishes was Zemlovka. I don't know the proper name for it in English so after a little consultation with my hubs and my boys (the testing team) we decided to call it Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding.

Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding

I noticed I have some old panini rolls I need to use so I decided to make this bread pudding dish tonight for our first Meatless Monday ( something I am trying out we'll see if it will sticks with my meat loving family).

To make this great dish is not very difficult and the result is oh, so yummy.

Ingredients:

• 5 Panini or Kaiser Rolls (day or two old)
• 2 cups Milk (lukewarm)
• 4 Tbsp Sugar
• 2 cups Cottage Cheese (optional)
• 2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 3 Apples (large & shredded)
• 4 Tbsp Sugar
• 4 Egg Whites
  
• 2 Tbsp Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease casserole dish or dutch oven dish.

Cut the rolls into 1/2'" slices. Mix the lukewarm milk with 4 tablespoons of sugar. Dip the bread slices into the milk mixture one by one and make a single layer on the bottom of the casserole dish.

Mix the cottage cheese together with the cinnamon and layer it on top of the bread. The spread all of the shredded apples on top of the cottage cheese. Sprinkle it with 4 tablespoons of sugar.
Dip the rest of the bread in the rest of the milk and completely cover the apple layer.

Put the bread puddings in the oven for 20 minutes.

5 minutes before the end beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, beat in powdered sugar.

Take the bread pudding out of the oven. Cover it with the layer of meringue and bake it for another 4-5 minutes or until the meringue looks done.

Let is sit for 10-15 minutes and then serve it.

Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding - Zemlovka

You can use apricots instead of apples. Also the cottage cheese is optional. Remember if you choose not to use the cottage cheese mix the cinnamon with the shredded apples. Another way to make it even better is to use raisin bread or brioche instead of old buns.