Mary Rapoport with the Virginia Egg Council has a delicious desert that she says is super easy to make.
“It’s ideal for grand or casual occasions,” Rapoport said. “In testing, we used lactose-free dairy products and it was superb. We also made some individual puddings, using ½ cup souffle dishes (baked for 20 min.) for mini-desserts. Experiment with various breads for your own signature creation. The secret to a great bread pudding is a lot of liquid to bread ratio. This is nearly 7 cups liquid to the 8 cups of bread which makes this bread pudding rich and fabulous!”
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin puree’ (or other canned squash)
- 2 cups light cream or half & half
- 1 cup milk
- 2/3 cup sugar*
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup rum (opt.)
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 cups bread**, crusts removed, torn into ¾” pieces
- Optional: Top with sliced almonds or pumpkin seeds, crushed Heath Bar candy bars for garnish
In a large bowl or blender container, combine everything except for the bread (and toppings).
Lightly grease a 9x13″ or 2 qt. casserole dish***. Layer the bread cubes evenly in dish and pour egg/pumpkin mixture on top. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 24 hours (but bring to room temperature before baking).
Lightly stir mixture; sprinkle with almond slivers or pumpkins seeds, if desired; bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 40 – 50 minutes until puffed, beginning to brown and set – do not overbake.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm, with ice cream or whipped cream. Serve cold with whipped cream and a dusting of crushed candy bars. Refrigerate any leftovers, reheat portions in microwave or enjoy cold within 5 days.
Yield: 12 to 15 servings
*If using very sweet bread, you may want to reduce this just a bit.
**Possible breads for great bread pudding: Challah, brioche, fruit and nut bread, croissants, or a mixture of various breads.
***You can also bake this in two 1-quart baking dishes – serve one now, and give one to a friend, or freeze for later use – just thaw in fridge and serve heated in the microwave or serve cold.
Adapted from a recipe from King Arthur Flour
Virginia Egg Council - www.virginiaeggcouncil.org - eggsrgr8@rev.net