Warm up on a brisk autumn evening with this indulgent bread pudding made with fresh sugar pumpkin and tart cranberries. Smothered in a salted caramel, this bread pudding is as easy to make as it is decadent.
Ingredients
- 1 small sugar pumpkin, halved, seeds scooped, roasted until tender and puréed (about 1½ cups prepared pumpkin)
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 10 cups (from 1 loaf) country-style bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, halved
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 scant cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Whisk together prepared pumpkin purée, cream, milk, sugar, eggs and yolks, salt, spices and vanilla until smooth. Add cubed bread, butter and cranberries and stir to coat bread. Allow to soak for 30 minutes.
Transfer to the baking pan. Bake, uncovered, on middle rack until custard sets, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit and cool slightly before cutting.
Salted Caramel Sauce
In a heavy-bottom 4-quart saucepan, heat sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring and melting sugar until sugar begins to turn a light to medium amber color, then stop stirring. When sugar is reddish brown, carefully add butter and whisk together. Sugar will bubble up, so use caution and a long whisk. Add cream and continue to whisk over medium-low heat until smooth. Add salt and whisk again until smooth and creamy. Reserve to cool slightly or make ahead and microwave to reheat. Drizzle bread pudding with caramel sauce before serving.
About this recipe
Visit EdibleRhody.com for Beau’s recipes for Grilled Hanger Steak and Sweet Potato “Steak Fries” with Pumpkin Seed Chimichurri and Lightly Creamed Kale.
