Short post today because this recipe is a doozie!
First things first. Winner of the CSN gift certificate giveaway (generated by random.org) is…
Entry #3 Catherine! Congratulations! I’ll be emailing you shortly with the details.
Thank you to everyone who participated. Hopefully this will be the first of many giveaways!
Secondly, since I kicked off this giveaway with a recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Bread adapted from Bobby Flay, I’m sharing with you our Thanksgiving dessert: Bobby Flay’s Pumpkin Bread Pudding. You may be sick of the pumpkin goods by now but I’m certainly not. My trusty bottle of cinnamon doesn’t leave my side from November to January!
Word of warning: This recipe has a lot of components and you end up with a lot of egg whites leftover (11 total). That being said, it’s totally worth it. Totally. I stretched it out over a few days and it was quite manageable: pumpkin bread on day 1, creme and caramel on day 2, and assembly on day 3. You could probably get away with buying pumpkin bread or using your own favorite recipe if you want to change it up. The bread pudding is also great on its own and you may opt to not make them but they both add something to the dish. The caramel cuts the thick creme and the creme balances out the sweet caramel. Both turn this dish into a real stunner. My five-person family ate the entire dish in one day.
If you’re looking for a showstopper for your next holiday party, this is it.
B.Flay’s Pumpkin Bread Pudding
adapted from B.Flay on Food Network
Makes 1 9×13″ pudding.
Ingredients
For Pumpkin Bread:
- 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 c sugar
- 1/4 c vegetable oil
- 1 c pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 c water
For Creme Anglaise:
- 2 c half-and-half
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/3 c granulated sugar (pure cane)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped)
For Spiced Caramel:
- 1 c heavy cream
- 1/2 c apple juice
- 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- heaping 1/4 tsp ground cloves (or 4 whole cloves)
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 c granulated sugar
- 1/2 c water
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp butterscotch liquor (or 1 tbsp apple schnapps)
For Custard:
- 2 c heavy cream
- 1 c whole milk
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/2 c white granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 c pumpkin puree
- 2 tbsp butterscotch liquor (or bourbon)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean with seeds scraped)
Instructions
For Pumpkin Bread: Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9″ loaf pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
With a stand or hand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and oil at high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add pumpkin puree and then the eggs one at a time until just combined. Then on low speed slowly add in the flour and water mixture, beating until just combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake about 60-75 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool. (I left mine in the pan until the day I made the pudding.)
For Creme Anglaise: Bring half-and-half (and vanilla bean/seeds if using) to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Set a bowl with a strainer over an ice water bath.
While the half-and-half is heating, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until pale and ribbon-like when whisk is lifted. When the liquid is simmering, temper the eggs by pouring in about 1/4 c of the liquid, whisking constantly. Then slowly pour in the rest of the liquid while continuing to whisk. Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon with a thick layer that does not run when a line is drawn through it. Strain the mixture into the bowl atop the ice bath and stir until chilled. Cover and refrigerate until service.
For Caramel Apple Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine cream, apple juice, ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and let steep for at least 20 minutes. Strain into a clean saucepan and keep over low heat while making the caramel.
In a separate medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, and vinegar. Keep over high heat and allow to cook without stirring until it is a deep amber. This will take about 8 minutes but watch it very closely as it is prone to burning in a short period of time. Slowly whisk in the warmed cream a little at a time until smooth. Be careful as the mixture will bubble up. Continue whisking and remove from heat if necessary. Add liquor and cook for about 30 more seconds. Serve warm.
For Assembly: Preheat oven to 325F. Cut pumpkin bread into 1/2″ cubes and place on a lined baking sheet. Toast in oven, turning once, for 20 minutes. Let cool.
While toasting, make the custard by combining the cream, milk, and vanilla bean if using in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmer.
Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, maple syrup, and pumpkin in a large bowl. Once cream mixture is simmering, add about 1/4 c to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Then, still whisking, add the rest of the cream. Whisk in vanilla extract and liquor. Strain into a clean bowl.
Scatter toasted pumpkin bread cubes into a 9×13″ baking dish. Pour custard over the bread, pressing them in so as to soak completely. Let soak for 15 minutes.
I just realized I did not do this but B.Flay then says to place the baking dish in a larger roaster pan and pour hot water into the larger pan until it is halfway up the sides of the baking dish. If you’re lazy, our bread pudding was delicious without the water bath. Bake for about 1 hour at 325F or until just slightly jiggly in the center.
To serve, spoon creme anglaise into a shallow bowl and place portion of bread pudding on top. Drizzle caramel over pudding. Serve with whipped cream if desired though the dessert is quite rich already (but hey, I’m not judging).
Are you sick of pumpkin yet?
