Pumpkin Cheesecake Bread Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• 14 -16 slices brioche bread or 14 -16 slices bread, trimmed of crusts and cut in half
• 1 1/2 cups butter, melted
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Recipe

• 1 set the oven rack in the middle position. preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. coat a 9-inch by 13-inch ovenproof glass baking dish with vegetable spray. set aside a larger metal baking pan and rack for the water bath.
• 2 to prepare the bread: brush each slice of brioche on both sides with melted butter.
• 3 to make the custard: combine cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and mix until smooth.
• 4 combine eggs, pumpkin, milk, heavy cream, vanilla, salt, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. beat until smooth. add cream cheese mixture and combine.
• 5 pour 1/2 cup pumpkin custard in bottom of baking dish. tilt and swirl dish until bottom is completely covered with a thin layer of custard. layer 6 slices of brioche on top of custard. pour half of remaining custard over brioche. add remaining brioche and custard in layers.
• 6 to add the topping: use a knife to cut 8 slits through layered pudding. cover top of pudding with plastic wrap and press down gently with your palm. let stand 15 minutes.
• 7 remove plastic wrap and sprinkle brown sugar over top of pudding. pour melted butter over sugar.
• 8 place baking dish on rack in large metal pan. pour hot water from a glass measuring cup into the outer pan until water level rises halfway up sides of baking dish. place carefully in oven. bake 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until top is nicely browned and custard has rise to top of baking dish.
• 9 check water bath occasionally and add more water if needed. do not let the water evaporate form the water bath.
• 10 carefully remove baking dish from oven and water bath. allow pudding to cool on rack 1 hour. serve slightly warm or cold with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. store covered with a paper towel and plastic wrap in the refrigerator.