Portioned bread pudding with camembert and ham

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing ramekins
• 220 gr. Camembert cheese
• 3 cups of low-fat cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 baguette (cut off bottom crust), cut into 1cm cubes (about 8 cups)
• 1 x 220g piece country ham, cut into 1cm cubes (about 2 cups)
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced ​​(about 1 cup)
• 1 large fennel root, halved, core removed and thinly sliced ​​(about 2 cups), greens set aside
• 2 large fresh sprigs of thyme
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup dry white wine
• Green salad, for serving (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), with one rack on the middle shelf and the other on the bottom rack. Fill a large baking dish halfway with warm water and place it on the bottom rack.
2. Grease 8 240 ml (8 fl oz) ramekins with butter and place them on a baking sheet. Cut the Camembert into 1 cm (0.5 in) cubes and place them on a plate to prevent them from sticking together.
3. In a large bowl, combine the heavy cream and eggs. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Add the baguette cubes and ham. Stir to distribute evenly.
4. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, fennel, and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onions are slightly softened and browned around the edges, 4-6 minutes. Add the apples, season with salt and pepper, and cook until slightly softened and browned around the edges, 3-5 minutes.
5. Add the wine and cook until completely absorbed, 3-4 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs. Add the apple mixture and cheese cubes to the beaten eggs and stir.
6. Spread the bread pudding evenly among the prepared pans. Bake until a knife inserted into the center of the bread pudding comes out clean and hot, 18-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
7. Let the bread puddings cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each serving with fennel fronds and serve with a green salad in a light dressing.