Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 5 eggs
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 loaf day-old cinnamon-raisin bread or 1/2 loaf brioche bread

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325°f.
• 2 butter sides and bottom of 8 eight ounce ramekins or souffle dishes, approximately 2 inches high and 5 inches in diameter.
• 3 to prepare custard, whisk together in a bowl the eggs, pumpkin, half-and-half, sugars, vanilla and spices.
• 4 pour through a strainer and set aside.
• 5 remove crust from bread cut into eight 3-inch squares 1/2 inch thick.
• 6 cut the remaining bread into 3/4-inch cubes (you'll need 4 cups of cubed bread).
• 7 place one of the 3-inch squares of bread in the bottom of each of the buttered ramekins.
• 8 top with 1/2 cup of the cubes of bread and then pour in six ounces of the the custard.
• 9 let sit for 30 minutes so the bread has a chance to absorb the custard, then top off with a little more custard.
• 10 place the ramekins in a shallow pan with water and bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes.
• 11 let the pudding cool at room temperature.
• 12 serve while still warm.
• 13 to serve unmold the ramekins and place on a plate with the top side up.