Pumpkin Bread Pudding

First of all let me apologize for these pictures. I'm using my point and shoot and well, it's a wonderful camera but for someone who has no talent anyway it's just frustrating. Bread Pudding however rocks. It's easy, versatile and what's not to love about custard and bread.  I have a standard recipe, but  I add eggs or cream, milk etc as needed.
Here are some ways to customize and make this your own

Bread- Italian, French, Hawaiian sweet bread, brioche, croissants, whole grain,  chocolate swirled bread, even store bought white bread.

Sweetener- I've used white sugar, brown sugar, cane juice, maple syrup, a little molasses.

Flavoring- this is obviously pumpkin, but any spices, green tea/matcha powder, sliced apples pan fried with cinnamon and butter, chocolate (cocoa powder), chocolate chips, cranberries, almonds and almond extract with cherries, rum, Irish cream, Nutella, crystallized ginger. Sky's the limit really. (raisins, for those of you who like raisins.)
Liquid- I use whole milk and cream. Sometimes I use half egg nog and half whole milk during the holidays. I have used 2% in a pinch.

Toppings- anything you want sugar, cinnamon sugar, caramel sauce, whipped cream, Bird's custard, ice cream.

Give Peas A Chance Bread Pudding

1 pound day old bread- cubed or sliced, lightly toasted if it's a very soft bread.

5 eggs

1 1/4 cup whole milk

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon brown sugar/cinnamon to top

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

add 1 cup pumpkin

nutmeg

ginger

all spice

cinnamon

Put everything but the brown sugar topping and bread in a large bowl.

Whisk to combine.

Add the bread to the bowl and weigh it down with a plate on top of the bread and a canned good on top of the plate for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Top with brown sugar.

Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish. Mine is about 9x13 but it's oval.

You can bake this in a bain-marie. Depending on how lazy I am I sometimes used one. Tonight I did not. If you're using one find a baking dish, put the bread pudding dish into it. Place both dishes into the oven and carefully pour water into the outer dish about half way up the side of the smaller dish.

Being mindful of ingredients you used - ie pumpkin, chocolate or molasses will make this darker, so don't judge cooking time only by color. Bake about 40-50 minutes until golden brown. Or test with toothpick inserted into the middle, when it comes out clean the bread pudding is ready.

Remove from oven and water bath. Let it sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Yummy, custardy. Diva told me it was nice and chewy on top and "moisturizing" on the inside. LOL. I think that's good.

You can serve it just like this. (Which is how my girls had theirs.)

OR, I melted some Love Abounds Fleur De Sel Caramels and poured it on top of mine. Then.

I topped it with fresh vanilla bean whipped cream. Just vanilla bean and whipped cream. I don't sweetened my whipped cream.

Thanks for reading Give Peas A Chance!

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