Caramel, Apple, and Cinnamon Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider 
• 1.5 pounds apples sweet such as rome, pink lady, or other apples ( 3 medium)
• 1 pound bread french cut into 1-inch cubes ( 12 cups)
• 10 servings butter for coating the baking dish
• 2 cups buttermilk well-shaken
• 10 large eggs 
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 2 cups cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1 cup brown sugar light packed
• 1 teaspoon salt fine
• 1  vanilla pod split

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• whisk
• wire rack
• plastic wrap
• baking pan
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Place the eggs in a large, nonreactive bowl and whisk to break them up.
2. Add the buttermilk, cream, apple juice or cider, sugar, vanilla seeds, cinnamon, and salt and whisk until the mixture is evenly combined.
3. Add the bread and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.When ready to bake the casserole, heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
4. Place a large piece of aluminum foil on the rack to catch any juices that may overflow while baking.Meanwhile, remove the bread mixture from the refrigerator, stir, and let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Generously coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter and set aside.When the bread mixture is ready, peel, core, and cut the apples into medium dice.
5. Add them to the bread mixture and stir to combine.
6. Transfer half of the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Drop half of the dulce de leche in tablespoon-sized dollops evenly over the mixture.
7. Pour the remaining bread mixture over the dulce de leche, spreading it into an even layer. Drop the remaining dulce de leche in tablespoon-sized dollops evenly over the top.Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil, place it on the foil in the oven, and bake until the custard around the outer inch is set, about 1 hour.
8. Remove the foil covering the dish and continue to bake until the surface of the casserole is browned in some spots and the center is just set, about 45 minutes more.
9. Remove to a wire rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.