Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Since I wasn't hosting Thanksgiving this year (my contribution to the family meal was a green salad with toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, crumbled blue cheese and a walnut-raspberry vinaigrette), I wanted to make something to indulge my desire for some kind of fallish dessert, which, really, is my most favorite kind of dessert. Anything with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in combination is right up my alley. I have no idea where I got this recipe for Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce and Whipped Cream, made in the slow cooker, but it had all of my favorite elements. Pumpkin and spices. Bread. Caramel sauce. In the slow cooker. How could I go wrong?

I was reading a cooking blog that I enjoy, Definitely Not Martha, and saw that she is hosting Sugar High Friday with the theme "Beta Carotene Harvest". So without futher ado, here it is.

My friend Beth gets a box from a CSA every Wednesday and was overloaded with butternut squash and some other similar squash (except with stripes). I halved them, baked them, discarded the rinds, and mashed the flesh. I used part of it to make a batch of pumpkin (squash) muffins, then was looking for inspiration for the rest when I came across this recipe.

When I was gathering ingredients, I was at Trader Joe's where I thought I'd be able to find the challah bread which the recipe called for, however, they didn't have it. The recipe said French bread would do as well, so I bought a loaf of crusty French bread, but next time, I'd definitely get challah, as the texture would be better for this recipe.

The bread is cubed, then put on a baking sheet and into at 350 degree oven for ten or fifteen minutes to dry out.



Next, I buttered the inside of the slow cooker and put the bread cubes down in the bottom, pressing them down slightly. Then I prepared the pudding part, which is cream, whole milk, 1 cup of pumpkin (or squash, as in my case) puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and eggs. I used more spices than the recipe specified because I love these spices. The milk and cream goes in a saucepan to heat until bubbling, but not boiling. The other ingredients go into the mixing bowl. The recipe called for two extra large eggs and two extra large egg yolks, but I used three large eggs and two large egg yolks instead, not having bought extra large eggs. All those ingredients are whisked together well.



To that I slowly added the hot cream mixture while continuing to whisk.

Then I turned the slow cooker to low and poured the pumpkin-cream mixture over the bread cubes, then dotted with butter.



I left that to cook for a while, then returned to make the bourbon caramel sauce, which starts off with two cups sugar, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice brought to a boil in a large saucepan. I stood over this for a bit, watching it, and I didn't see it darken at all; I walked away for a few minutes, then came back, and it was very dark brown and boiling madly so I yanked it off the heat.



Next I stirred in four tablespoons butter, then 1/2 cup of heavy cream.



At that point cream is added, then the bourbon and vanilla, but I had already disovered, yet discovered too late, that I didn't have any bourbon...too late because this back-assward state where I live doesn't allow alcohol sales on Sunday. I thought I had some rum, which I thought would have been good, but I was out of that too. So I used Frangelico instead. It was fine, but again, I'd make sure I got to the liquor store in time for bourbon next time I make this.



I tasted the caramel sauce when it had cooled and it was intensely sweet and the taste of the alcohol needed to have cooked out more, I thought, but I knew the flavor would be tempered by the bread pudding and the cream, so I didn't worry too much.

The bread pudding cooked more quickly in my slow cooker than the recipe stated, so I poured a bit more whole milk over it to keep it from drying out, switched the cooker to warm, and left it.



When I was ready to serve it, I whipped some cream, then scooped out the bread pudding into bowls, drizzled caramel sauce over, and topped with whipped cream.



My five-year-old took a bite, then said "Mommy, I have a list in my heart of all the things I love, and this dessert is at the top!"

My nine-year-old said "This is like french toast, but more awesome!"

My husband, an avowed bread pudding hater, who, upon hearing that I was making bread pudding said "well, I won't be eating dessert tonight", served himself some, took a bite, then another, and another, until he'd eaten it all and then went back for another serving.

I said "I thought you hated bread pudding" and he said "it's growing on me."

It was delicious. The bread pudding part was soft and eggy, with the mellowest squash and spice taste. And as I thought, the caramel sauce turned out to be exactly right with the pudding, especially when topped with the whipped cream. It was perfect comfort food, yet elegant. Any leftovers also reheat well in the microwave. If you don't feel like fooling with whipped cream for your leftovers, just splash a little cream over the top of the warm pudding and sauce. YUM.

Here's the recipe.

for the bread pudding:

1 one-pound loaf challah or firm-textured French bread, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup unsweetened squash, pumpkin, or sweet potato puree
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I used 2 tsp)
heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used 1 tsp)
1/8 ground allspice (I used 1/2 tsp)
2 extra-large eggs (or three large)
2 extra large egg yolks (or just use two large)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla exract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 with a rack in the center. Place the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes to dry them out. Use 1/2 tablespoon of the butter to coat the inside the insert of the slow cooker. Press the bread cubes into the bottom; they should fit snugly, and the bottom should be thoroughly covered. Turn the slow cooker to High and let it heat uncovered while you prepare the pudding.

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and milk until the mixture is very hot and starts to bubble, but don't let it boil. Remove from heat. Place the pumpkin puree, spices, eggs and egg yolks, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk them together well, then slowly pour in the cream mixture, mixing constantly.

Turn the slow cooker down to Low. Carefully pour the pumpkin and cream mixture over the bread and push the cubes down under the liquid to make sure they are all moistened. It's okay if they pop up again. Dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Cover and cook for 3-1/2 hours on low, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn the slow cooker off and let it rest for thirty minutes. If you're not serving right away, drizzle a tiny bit of milk or cream over the bread cubes to keep them moist and switch the cooker to Warm.

For the bourbon caramel sauce:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and at room temperature
2-1/2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1/3 cup bourbon (or other liquor)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

While the pudding is cooking, make the caramel sauce. Have all the ingredients ready before you begin. Place the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a large (at least two quarts) saucepan. The mixture will bubble up when you add the cream and butter. Bring the sugar mixture to a boil over medium high heat; stir only until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear. Continue to boil without stirring and hile keeping an eye on it to darken in color. When the mixture has darkened to a rich caramel color, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter, bit by bit, then 1/2 cup of the heavy cream, then finally the liquor and vanilla. Cool to room temperature.

Whip the remaining cream with a mixer until it holds soft peaks. Spoon the pudding into bowls, top with caramel sauce, then with whipped cream. Grab a spoon and start scarfing!