56°F
weather icon Partly Cloudy

DIVAS ON A DIME: Pumpkin gives classical bread pudding a seasonal twist

In a season traditionally filled with good things to eat, let’s add another entry to the dessert table, shall we? I’m talking about bread pudding. Now, here is a dish that radiates nostalgia. Once eaten mainly by the poor to use up stale bread, bread pudding is now considered comfort food extraordinaire.

While we all love classic bread pudding, this one is different. This recipe offers a twist on ordinary bread pudding that elevates it to holiday-worthy status. We’re adding pumpkin puree and warm spices to the bread pudding and topping it with a velvety caramel pecan praline sauce to create bread pudding that’s bursting with intense flavors and aromas of the season. If pumpkin pie and bread pudding had a baby, it would be this!

Don’t reserve this recipe only for Thanksgiving because it makes any day a special occasion. Bread pudding can be served warm or cold and for dessert, breakfast, brunch, or snack. It’s also perfect to bring to a potluck or make as a gift for friends and neighbors.

As always, my recipes are developed with low cost in mind. In this spirit, I’ve omitted the heavy cream found in most bread pudding recipes and replaced it with a can of evaporated milk to add creamy richness. Please note we’re using evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk. You’ll use part of the can of evaporated milk in the pudding and the remainder in the sauce.

Part of the frugal appeal of this recipe is that it uses stale bread. Use any kind of bread you find on the “oops, we baked too much” rack. You can use loaves of breads like French, Italian or artisan breads. You can also use bolillo rolls, baguettes, challah, croissants, doughnuts, even cinnamon rolls.

Here’s a great tip, keep a large zip-top bag in the freezer to save up bits of leftover breads. You can even throw in slightly stale doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, or bagels too. When you’ve collected enough, you can use them to make breadcrumbs, stuffing or, you guessed it, bread pudding.

PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING

What You’ll Need:

1 (one pound) loaf day old bread

2 cups milk or half and half

¾ cup evaporated milk

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons melted butter

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Here’s How:

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Slice or tear the bread into small pieces and place them in the baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the half and half, evaporated milk, pumpkin, sugars, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Carefully pour this custard mixture over the bread pieces in the baking dish. Lightly press the bread down until it’s completely covered in the custard mixture. Let this rest for about 15 minutes to let the custard soak all the bread pieces. Bake in your preheated oven for 50 minutes to an hour or until set and browned.

While the bread pudding is baking, make the praline sauce.

EASY PECAN PRALINE SAUCE

What You’ll Need:

1 ¼ cups light brown sugar

¾ cup evaporated milk

1 tablespoon butter

Pinch salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup chopped pecans

Here’s How:

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the brown sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt. Cook, stirring the sauce until it is syrupy and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and pecans. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Pour over bread pudding to serve.

Bread pudding is a stellar example of simple ingredients coming together to make something greater than the sum of their parts.

As I was making this, my niece suggested that since pumpkin is a vegetable and the pudding is mostly bread and eggs, she should be able to have it for dinner. Of course, I said yes. I’m the cool auntie.

There will be plenty of time for eating properly. Tomorrow.

Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the recipe developer and food writer of the website “Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous!” Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
2024 Dark Sky Festival could lure thousands to Death Valley

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – Explore the wonders of space from one of the darkest locations in the United States. The Death Valley Dark Sky Festival will take place Friday, March 1 through Sunday, March 3. This popular event was attended by over 3,500 people last year.

Holiday concert showcases the return of music education in Beatty schools

BEATTY — Beatty Principal Steven Sullivan said it was wonderful to hear the inevitable “scratches and squeaks” as he introduced student musicians ahead of the school’s holiday concert.

Here’s how much you should tip casino workers

While some visitors for Formula One didn’t tip particularly well when in Las Vegas, it may be because they don’t know how much to pay. Here’s a guide on the best tipping practices.

California lottery

No one matched all five numbers and the mega number in the Saturday, December 9 drawing of the California Super Lotto. The next jackpot will be at least $22 million.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Pahrump Powwow returns

Hosted annually the weekend before Thanksgiving, the 24th Annual Pahrump Social Powwow will take over Petrack Park from Friday to Sunday, Nov. 17-19 and the theme for 2023 is “Celebration of Youth.” What you need to know about the cultural event.