Are you interested in serving something other than (or perhaps in addition to) a classic pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving? Try my pumpkin croissant bread pudding with caramel sauce – guaranteed to make you and your guests swoon!
Traditionally, bread pudding was an economical way to serve dessert – an easy means to use leftover bread that would otherwise be thrown away. Torn or cubed bread is soaked in a sweetened egg mixture, accompaniments are added and then it is all baked in an oven. Typically, bread pudding recipes call for white bread but I love using croissants or egg bread for their richness and sweet flavour.
Pumpkin Croissant Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk skim, 1%, 2% or whole milk – whatever is on hand
- 1 cup 35% heavy cream
- 1 15- ounce can pure pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 cups ½-inch cubes of croissants about 10 ounces
- ½ cup golden raisins can omit or replace with chopped crystallized ginger, if desired
Caramel Sauce
- 1¼ cups packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter
- ½ cup whipping cream
- ¼ cup brandy
Instructions
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Whisk the milk, heavy cream, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in croissant cubes. Stir in golden raisins.
- Transfer mixture to 11” x 7” glass baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare caramel sauce:
- Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until it is melted.
- Add brown sugar and whisk in cream and brandy and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. Add ¼ cup brandy for a “tipsy” caramel sauce.
- Serve pudding warm with caramel sauce drizzled overtop (and whipped cream, if desired!)