Scheiterhaufen is a bread and apple pudding, typical of South Tyrol, perfect for recycling stale bread, but also stale brioche or braided bread. It’s a delicious dish that reminds me of my childhood, as my mother often prepared it and of course, I continue to prepare it using her recipe. In addition to the bread, there are many juicy slices of apple (I used the Golden Delicious apples from Val Venosta), raisins (only if you like them, of course) and a mix of milk and eggs in which the bread is soaked. Even after some research, I couldn’t find historical references for this dish, which is mainly spread in Austria, southern Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, but I’m almost certain it originated as a humble dish to recycle leftovers and make them tasty.
The real treat that makes Scheiterhaufen stand out is its crunchy meringue topping on the surface, soft inside, simply spectacular. And if you’re wondering whether the amount of sugar used for the meringue preparation is too much, I can assure you it’s not. The sugar is what makes the meringue crunchy on the outside and soft inside; using less, the meringue remains more spongy, with an unappealing texture.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 6-8 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Austrian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 5 bread rolls (stale rolls or brioche)
- 2 eggs (large)
- 2 egg yolks (large)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 4 organic Golden Delicious apples (Val Venosta Apple)
- 5 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 1/3 cup apricot jam
- 2 egg whites (large)
- 8 tbsp sugar
- as needed butter (for the baking dish)
Steps
To prepare the Scheiterhaufen with organic Golden Delicious apples, slice the bread rolls into slices about 1/2 inch thick.
In a baking dish, combine the eggs, egg yolks, milk, and sugar. Briefly whisk everything together until you have a homogeneous mixture. Then soak the bread slices in the milk and egg mix on both sides and stand them up next to each other in the baking dish. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (static).
Wash and peel the organic Golden Delicious apples, cut each apple into quarters, remove the core, and then slice them thinly. Place the sliced apples in a bowl and add the sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Mix.
Take a baking dish about 8 x 12 inches and butter it. Then cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of bread slices soaked in the milk and egg mix. Cover with half of the flavored apples. Then create another layer with the remaining bread slices and finish with the cinnamon apples. Distribute any remaining liquid over the apples. Finally, spread the apricot jam over the entire surface and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes.
10 minutes before the end of the baking time, start whipping the egg whites with the sugar until they are firm and glossy, which will take about 10 minutes.
Remove the Scheiterhaufen from the oven, spread the whipped egg whites over the entire surface, and then create meringue peaks by simply placing and removing the back of the spoon on the meringue.
Put it back in the oven at 350°F, on the upper level, for about 10 minutes. Then place the handle of a wooden spoon in the oven door so that it stays slightly open and continue baking for another 5 minutes.
Take your Scheiterhaufen with organic Golden Delicious apples out of the oven, serve immediately, and enjoy it warm.
