Roughly five years ago I was searching for the perfect pumpkin dessert. Not that I dislike pumpkin pie or wish to give it a bad name, but sometimes us pumpkin-lovers want a little variety, am I right? Eventually, somewhere in the depths of the interwebs, I stumbled across the following recipe, pumpkin bread pudding with maple caramel sauce and have not looked back! It has become a staple in my family at Thanksgiving and it’s my go-to recipe for bringing to holiday parties (or any parties where pumpkin desserts are welcome).

Pumpkin Bread Pudding:
2 cups half and half
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons golden or dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 cups 1/2-inch Brioche, or Challah or Hawaiian bread

Step by Step instructions:

Pick and prep your bread. After four years of using Hawaiian bread, I decided to take a different route and use Trader Joe’s Brioche. I’ll never go back!

The best bread for the job.

Cube your bread. I never measure out 10cups, I just toss in the whole loaf. I also don’t sit there and take a tape measure to make sure it’s 1/2″ Just eyeball it.

Bread to the power of cubed.

If you’re like me and you are taking this dish to another house, I suggest cubing the bread and then using the bag it came in to hold the cubes for easy transportation. It is best you bake the rest at the home you will be dining at.

Recycle, reuse, reduce, people.

Time to gather your ingredients for the rest of the bread pudding: pure vanilla extract, organic pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, golden brown sugar (original recipe calls for dark; use whatever), organic half/half, 2 large free-range eggs.

YUM

Whisk half and half, pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend.

YUM

Gradually fold in bread cubes (PROTIP: Use a WIDE bowl if you have one handy. I had to use my Kitchen Aid mixer bowl this time around). Make sure the mixture is evenly distributed over the bread cubes.

Don’t fold in all at once.

Transfer mixture to a glass baking dish (11×7 is what the recipe called for, I’ve always used a 9×13) and let stand for 15 minutes.

Looks weird now but tastes delicious

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a tester/toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Attacked before I got a chance to take a picture

Now, you are not going to eat a naked pumpkin bread pudding. Oh, no. That was only part one. Part two is the sauce, which can luckily be made up to three days in advance and it is highly recommended to do so if you are playing hostess or if you have to take this dessert to a potluck.

Maple Caramel Sauce:
2 cups whipping cream
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon maple flavoring

Your simple ingredients:

Sugar, maple syrup, heavy whipping cream, maple flavor

Combine cream, sugar and syrup in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil.

Don’t burn the sugar!

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer sauce until caramel colored and reduced to 1 3/4 cups, whisking occasionally, about 35 minutes. Mix in maple flavoring.

Tasty

Cool slightly to serve immediately, or let cool completely before transferring to a container & store in refrigerator for later use. Rewarm on stove top.
Section & cut your bread pudding, dish up and generously drizzle sauce atop. Eat and enjoy!

Best dessert ever

Serves around 10-12, depending on how big the pieces are cut and how generous you’re feeling

Personal notes:
* For the first batch I used my PUMPKIN PUREE made from organic sugar pumpkin. Highly recommended!
* I’ve always used golden brown sugar because that is what I’ve always had on hand.
*add more bread for thicker texture
*add more pumpkin for custard texture