PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING: TASTING THANKSGIVING

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

adapted from Peace Meals, by the Junior League of Houston

I posted this recipe last Fall along with two other pumpkin recipes. People have told me that it is one of their favorites from PLK.  It has graced the Thanksgiving tables of several of my friends, and my mother made it for a Holiday luncheon buffet.  I agree that it is worthy of all the praise, so I am giving it a post of its own.

Are you searching for the perfect Thanksgiving desert? Something that’s not pie?  It’s right here; a bread pudding that tastes like the Holidays.  I’ve never met a bread pudding I didn’t like.  When you take a loaf of good bread, tear it into pieces, and then pour cream, eggs, and sugar over it to bake, you can hardly go wrong.  This recipe adds sweet winter squash, allspice, cinnamon, and ginger into the mix.  When you bake it, your house will fill with good smells. It comes out of the oven puffed; its’ top toasty; it’s insides soft like pudding.  Eating it is pure Thanksgiving.

1 loaf brioche, challah, or cinnamon bread, cubed
4 eggs
4 cups (1 quart) heavy whipping cream
2 cups sugar
3 cups canned pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
Topping: Whipped cream + sprinkled cinnamon

1. PREP PAN AND TOAST BREAD: Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Spread bread cubes out evenly on a baking sheet and put in the oven to toast until golden brown. Watch bread closely so it doesn’t burn.


2. ADD THE REST AND BAKE: In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, cream, sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and salt. Add bread cubes. Gently stir the cubes so that they are able to absorb the batter, but be careful not to tear them apart. When the bread is saturated, pour the mixture into the baking dish. Cover dish with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until the top is browned, 10-15 more minutes.

Note: the consistency will be soft like pudding.

3.  SERVE:  Serve warm with whipped cream.

Variation:  Pumpkin Bread Pudding Bars
To make pumpkin bread pudding bars, bake bread pudding until solid, about 1 hour. Let it cool in the pan, and then slice into bars. The bars may be frozen for up to a week. This is a wonderful dessert to serve during the Holidays at a buffet luncheon alongside a plate of brownies.

Peace and love from my kitchen to yours,

Waverly

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2 comments

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2 Responses to “PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING: TASTING THANKSGIVING”

  1. Melissa O. Smith says:
    Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 6:12 am

    W – this looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it. I also re-read your Thanksgiving post from last year and it made me smile all over again.

    Bridget and I enjoyed a lovely evening last night. Thanks again. M.

    Reply

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