Caramel Pecan - Pumpkin Bread Puddings

Total Time: 1 hr 28 mins Preparation Time: 27 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 1 min

Ingredients

• Servings: 11
• 4 large eggs
• 30 ounces canned pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 ounces french bread, loaf cut into 1-inch-inch pieces (10 cups)
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 prepare bread puddings: whisk together eggs and next 8 ingredients in a large bowl until well blended. add bread pieces, stirring to thoroughly coat. cover with plastic wrap, and chill 8-24 hours.
• 2 preheat oven to 350. spoon bread mixture into 11 (6oz) lightly greased ramekins. (ramekins will be completely full, and mixture will mound slightly). place on an aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan.
• 3 bake at 350 for 50 minutes, shielding with foil after 30 minutes.
• 4 during last 15 minutes of baking, prepare caramel-pecan sauce: heat pecans in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 3-5 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.
• 5 cook brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3-4 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. remove from heat; stir in vanilla and pecans.
• 6 remove bread puddings from oven; drizzle with caramel-pecan sauce. bake 5 minutes or until sauce is thoroughly heated and begins to bubble.
• 7 try this twist: prepare as directed in step 1. spoon chilled bread mixture into a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish. cover with aluminum foil. bake, covered, at 350 for 35 minutes. uncover and bake 15 minutes. proceed with recipe as directed in steps 4 through 6.