Apple Fritter Pudding

This recipe is true comfort food, the apple fritters make it sweet and homey.  It's basically taking bread pudding to a whole new level.  The pudding benefits from placing a piece of parchment over the top of the mixture, then setting another 9X13 glass dish on top of that to weigh it down and make sure the fritters soak up all the delicious custard.  Subsequently you remove them before baking and your pudding puffs and bakes up to an amazing breakfast treat. This recipe has inspired me to think of numerous ways to make this dish with various types of bread - wait til you see what I have up my sleeve or oven mitt!

8 apple fritters, torn apart and dried out
4 c. half & half
5 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. sugar

Place the dried out apple fritter pieces into a 9X13 oven dish and set aside.  Make custard by mixing half & half, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar together - then pouring over the fritter pieces.  Cover with a sheet of parchment and place a second 9X13 dish on top of that to weigh the fritter pieces down and keep them submerged in the custard.  Place into refrigerator and chill overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 50 minutes, until pudding is puffed and golden.  Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!