Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Toasted Pecans and Salted Caramel Sauce

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This post, Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Toasted Pecans and Salted Caramel Sauce, was sponsored by Turano Baking Company.  The opinions and text are all mine.   #Turano #TuranoBread #TuranoBaking

I am a better cook than I am a baker.  Until recently, I always served store-bought desserts at parties and holiday gatherings.  Then, a few years ago, I forgot to buy a dessert for a Christmas dinner party I was hosting.  With every store closed, I racked my brain for what I could make.   I scoured the internet for recipes that had milk, sugar, and eggs.  Then, I landed on a recipe for traditional bread pudding.   Bread pudding is made with bread, milk, and eggs, and flavored sweet or savory.   Sweet bread pudding, served as dessert, often has dried fruit, like raisins, as well as spices such as cinnamon or vanilla.  The recipe I found looked easy to prepare, fast to bake and BINGO –I had all the ingredients on hand.

The bread pudding received rave reviews from my guests.   And since then, I’ve experimented with different ingredients, including the types of bread, which affect both the taste and the texture.

When developing my recipe for Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Toasted Pecans and Salted Caramel Sauce I experimented different types of bread.   After several tests, I decided to use two types of Turano bread,  Brioche, and Italian. This bread combination makes a rich but not too dense bread pudding. I like using Turano bread because it is a Chicago family-owned business and I love supporting local business whenever I can.  Since 1962, Turano has been baking European style bread using authentic techniques to ensure great flavors in each loaf.  Their Brioche is soft and buttery and their Italian round has a crispy crust and soft center.

In addition to experimenting with the types bread,  I’ve also experimented with flavors.  Ripe peaches in the summer, juicy oranges in the winter.  But, my favorite combination thus far is this version with pumpkin, salted caramel, and pecans.

The pumpkin is 100% seasonal,  adds a creamy taste and gives the pudding a bit of body.  I also enjoy the earthy flavor the pumpkin adds.

Toasted pecans add texture and nuttiness to the dessert.  But, the piece de resistance is the salted caramel sauce.  Sweet and salty, the caramel sauce ties the whole dessert together.

What I love most about this Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Toasted Pecans and Salted Caramel Sauce is how fast and easy it is to prepare.  This recipe can be made in ONE hour, start to finish.  I know you doubt me but, it’s 100% true.  This recipe is also very forgiving –  it accommodates adjustments, errors, imperfections. One time I forgot to the sugar and it still tasted amazing.

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Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Pecan Sauce

 

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Author delane

Ingredients

• 4 Turano Brioche Sandwich Rolls
• 1/2 loaf 1/2 pound Turano Italian Round Sliced
• 1 15 oz can of pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups of milk
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 3 teaspoons salt
• whipped cream optional

Instructions

Bread Pudding

1. Cut bread into 1/2" cubes.
2. In a large bowl, mix milk, pumpkin, vanilla, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Add bread to pumpkin mixture. Mix until bread is covered with mixture.
4. Grease a 3 qt baking dish and fill it with cubed pumpkin bread mixture.  
5. Cover with aluminum wrap and let sit for 15 minutes.
6. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
7.  Bake for 30.  Remove aluminum wrap and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until custard is set and edges of bread are brown. 

Salted Caramel

1. In a medium saucepan over low heat, add 1 cup of sugar. With a wooden spoon, stir constantly. 
2. The sugar will form clumps, keep stirring.  Do not turn up the heat to speed up the process. Keep stirring.  
3. When the sugar is melted into an amber liquid add the butter. CAUTION: the sugar will bubble up when the butter is added.
4. Whisk the butter into the sugar until it is completely melted and combined.  
5. Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time while whisking caramel mixture.  CAUTION: the sugar will bubble up when the cream is added. 
6. While continuing to whisk, add 1 teaspoon salt and cook the caramel for 1-2 more minutes.  
7. WARNING: The caramel will be extremely tempting to eat, allow to cool down before eating.

Salted Pecans

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Place pecan pieces evenly on a half sheet pan or heavy skillet.
3. Sprinkle pecans with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
4. Bake for 10 minutes.
5.  Stir gently.  
6. Cook an additional 10 minutes or until the pecans are lightly toasted.  
7. Remove from the oven and cool. 
8. Store in an airtight jar until ready to use.

Dessert Preparation

1. Slice bread pudding into 8 servings.
2. Plate pudding.
3. Drizzle with salted caramel.
4. Sprinkle with toasted pecans.
5. Top with whipped cream (optional).

Recipe Notes

This recipe can be made in the crockpot.  In lieu of the oven, cook bread pumpkin mixture for 4 hours on low.  For a crispy crust, remove crockpot liner when done cooking and place in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes.

Tips for Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Toasted Pecans and Salted Caramel Sauce

1. You can use any non-flavored (e.g. olive bread) bread that you have on hand, but I recommend either a 50/50 mix of Turano Brioche and Italian buns or 100% Turano Brioche. Brioche buns adds a buttery richness to the bread pudding without adding any extra butter.

2. Don’t use the heel of the bread.  The heel doesn’t absorb the liquid mixture.