“Colleen” Pumpkin Eggnog Bread Pudding

November 12, 2010

My friend Colleen sent me the link to this recipe – and upon first sight I couldn’t wait to make it. So, I’m naming it after her. Today, I just did the recipe as it was listed in the original article in the Seattle Times Food & Wine section – except that I coated my baking pan with butter, drizzled more butter on top, and broiled it prior to taking it out of the oven to crust up the top a little. I was having a girls night with my three sisters, and brought it for dessert.

Obviously this is a fall to Christmas baked good since eggnog and cranberries are only really available around this time of year. My youngest sister said this tastes like Christmas on a spoon. I’d have to agree. It’s a moist delicious bread that tastes a little like pumpkin pie, with the richness of eggnog and the spices of the holidays. The cranberry compote it’s served with it tart and tangy, the perfect offset to the rich bread pudding. However – with the sweet tooth that runs deep in our family, my sisters and I kind of agreed that we’d rather have it with a vanilla dipping sauce/custard the next time. And, I’ll probably do up the bread pudding in individual ramekins next time for a prettier presentation.

Pumpkin Eggnog Bread Pudding

Thanks Colleen for the awesome recipe. It needs a few bakerlady tweaks I think to be truly worthy of your name. But it’s pretty stinkin awesome just as is too. Just like you.

**Update – I’ve decided I’m going to make this again for brunch at my momma’s this weekend. Here’s what I’m going to change to make it more awesome – and more like Colleen.

1. I’m going to kick up the spices a little. Probably some pumpkin pie spice in place of the nutmeg and make it a full teaspoon.
2. I’m going to bake it up in individual ramekins.
3. At the bottom of each ramekin I’m going to put some spiced rum vanilla custard(recipe to come). Then layer the bread pudding on top. Still served with the cranberry compote.

So, it will be a little crusty on the outside, but once you get to the bottom of things it will be warm and gooey – with a little kick of spicy cranberry on the side. I think that pretty much describes Colleen. Those of you who know her, don’t you think?

“Colleen” – Pumpkin Eggnog Bread Pudding
Copyright 2010 by Kathy Casey Food Studios(r)

8 cups packed 1/2-inch to 1-inch cubed, rustic baguette or French bread
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup (canned) pumpkin purée
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups high-quality eggnog (not fat-free or low-fat)
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons spiced rum
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Spiced Cranberry Compote

1. Put the bread cubes in a large bowl and drizzle with melted butter.

2. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, egg yolks, eggs, eggnog, nutmeg and rum until well combined. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and stir gently. Let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes, poking the bread down into the egg mixture often and stirring it up every 10 minutes or so.

3. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

4. Transfer the bread pudding mixture to a buttered 7-by-11-inch or 9-inch square glass baking pan. Drizzle with additional 2 tablespoons of butter, melted. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the center is just set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Serve the pudding warm, topped with some of the Spiced Cranberry Compote.