Warm Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Chef Bradley Ogden of Bradley Ogden at Caesars Palace – Las Vegas, NV
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 ½ cups milk
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
• ½ loaf day-old cinnamon raisin bread or brioche with crusts trimmed,
• cut into 10 ½-inch slices
• ½ cup sun-dried cherries or cranberries (currants and raisins optional addition)
• Powdered sugar

Method:
Whisk eggs together with the pumpkin puree, cream, milk, sugars, vanilla extract, scarped vanilla bean and seeds, and spices. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Butter a 2-quart ovenproof casserole dish with 2-inch sides. Place 5 slices of the bread on the bottom of the casserole dish, sprinkle evenly with half of the cherries or cranberries and repeat with second layer. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the covered casserole dish in a slightly larger pan with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the casserole and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the pudding cool at room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Pairing:
A rich Belgian ale such as Scaldis