Zemlovka, Czecho-Slovakian Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding

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The Summer Soltice is tomorrow and for many Summer is in full swing. Summer brings an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. We eat lighter meals and desserts. We spend more time out enjoying and exploring nature. Summer also means grilling and picnic season. Or as Mexican immigrants called it piquinike or piquiniki.

Picnics cannot be complete without a sweet finish, dessert. This Zemlovka or bread pudding I am going to share with you today is the perfect picnic or summertime dessert. But I am not talking soggy overly sweet heavy bread pudding. No, my version is a lighter version that will be loved by both lovers and haters of bread puddings. Žemlovka or Zemlbába means bread pie and is eaten both in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Typically this bread pudding is made with day old bread, apples, cinnamon, sugar, raisins and curd or cottage cheese. Some versions also have a meringue style topping. On a Czech discussion board locals said that this sweet treat is often eaten as dinner or lunch rather than as dessert. While I'm not a fan of sweet main courses I do love it warmed up as a breakfast, or of course as a dessert.

Apparently Žemlovka or Zemlbába is quite the controversial dish. The reason being that those who like it love it and those who dislike it hate it, passionately so. Accorinding to this Czech website Žemlovka or Zemlbába has its origins in the German Semmelauflauf, which is an apple bread pudding. They go on to further explain that the pudding's roots date back to old Slavic history, meaning people have been making this bread pudding for a very long time.

So Czecho-Slovakians have been making this bread pudding for a long time using their old traditional recipes, then along comes this Mexican girl and changes the recipe. If there are any Czechs or Slovaks reading this please forgive me, I mean no disrespect. I couldn't help myself but add some exotic spices and lighten the pudding by leaving out the curd/cottage cheese and meringue topping. While this is my own version or take on the traditional recipe I do guarantee that it tastes great. My bread pudding hating husband had seconds and that speaks alot. The bottom layer is soft, followed by the sweet soft center then topped with the slightly crispy top.

Zemlovka, Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding Ingredients:
Makes 4 servings
160 grams or about 1/3 lb. day old bread
2 medium eggs
3 Tbs. whole milk
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cardamom
1/4 tsp. bourbon vanilla powder or (1/2 tsp. vanilla extract)
2 Tbs. brown sugar (or honey)

Large bowl and fork

1. Preheat oven to 200c or 392 f, butter a baking dish or line with baking paper then set aside. Cut the bread into large cubes or slice into the desired shape.*Please not that for the bottom layer I used long slices, for the top I cubed the remaining bread.* In the large bowl lightly beat the eggs, milk,sugar and spices until well combined. Distribute the bread cubes/slices into the bowl making sure that they are all well coated with the egg mixture. If the bread is too dry you may need to add more egg and milk to dampen the bread. Set aside.

2 Large baking apples
1/2 cup or 100 grams raisins
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
small pinch of nutmeg
small pinch of cardamom
1/4 tsp. bourbon vanilla powder or (1/2 tsp. vanilla extract)
1 Tbs. brown sugar/honey, adjust to taste
small pinch of salt

Vegetable grater and peeler and a bowl

2. Peel and grate the apples into the bowl. Sprinkle the spices and raisins into the grated apples. Using your hands or a spoon mix the spices into the apples until everything is well combined.

3. (Now you will need the soaked bread and the baking dish) Make a bottom layer on the baking dish with some of the soaked bread, but you'll need to reserve enough bread for the top layer. Once the bottom bread layer is in place evenly spread the grated apple mixture on top. Lastly cover the apple layer with another layer of soaked bread cubes.

Place in the center of preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes allowing for both the top bread layer to brown and the bottom layer to have solidify.

Serve warm. Enjoy it as a breakfast or as a dessert. I think it would be great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or yogurt gelati.

What about you, are you a lover or hater of bread pudding?

More Bread Pudding Recipes:

- Eggless cranberry and chocolate bread pudding spiced with chai masala, My Diverse Kitchen

- Chocolate Berry Bread Pudding, Gluten Free, Jenn Cuisine

- Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce, Dessert For Two

- Capirotada -Mexican bread pudding, Muy Bueno Cookbook

- Blackberry Bread Pudding with Bamboo Charcoal Bread and Poached Pear, Foodiva's Kitchen

- Bread Pie (Žemlovka), Slovak Cooking

Thank you Victoria, Mission:Food, for inviting me to the Bread Pudding Club this month. This is my submission.