Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding with a Sherry Cream Sauce

Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding with a Sherry Cream Sauce – (recipe follows) – What can be said about Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding except for……YUM! I mean seriously – YUMMY! Are you guys pumpkin fans out there? I know I am, like a huge fan. I’d do a commercial for pumpkin right now (that’s supposed to be funny, you’d have to have seen the stand up where the guy is talking about doing a commercial for chicken – did you see that one? If you did then, hahahahahaha, funny right, if not then I just wasted like ten seconds that you can’t get back and well, sorry :D). Funny, I’m funny. Wow, I guess the sugar and coffee kicked in. So, anyway, this really is super yummy and you can make it as fancy or not fancy as you like depending on how you serve it. Either way, it’s going to make your house smell like the holidays while it bakes and give everyone who eats it nice warm full tummies. That’s always nice right? Not to mention that this comes out beautifully moist. Also, this is just a nice option to have instead of pumpkin pie (believe it or not, some people don’t like pie)! Yeah, I know :). Or, serve both, that’s what I’d do. Ah, yes, I love you too pumpkin pie. When I make this bread pudding, I like to add a crumb topping and also the sauce, but you can skip either or both of those because it is fabuloso on it’s own. It is also really, really good with vanilla ice cream –  what isn’t? OK, enough chit chat LET’S DO THIS!
Ingredients

For the Bread Pudding
5 eggs
2 cups half and half
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon mace
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup golden raisins, optional
1/2 cup roasted pepitas, optional
10 cups cubed bread, French Bread, Italian, or challah all work well
For the Crumb Topping
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1 cup pecans, broken up

For the Sauce
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
1  cup sugar
1/4 cup half and half
1/3 cup Sherry
Instructions

1. Prepare your baking dish by giving it a nice coat of butter. You can also use a cooking spray, but the butter will add a little extra yumminess.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the half and half and whisk them together. Add the pumpkin and whisk it in well. Then add the brown sugar, spices, and vanilla extract and whisk it all up.
3. Place your bread cubes into a large bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Add the pepitas and raisins. Fold it all together, be gentle.
4. Pour your mixture into your prepared baking dish. Smooth it out so it’s flat. Allow this to stand for about 20 minutes. This lets all the goodness soak into the bread. Also, turn your oven on to 350°F while your bread is waiting.
5. In a separate small bowl, combine the ingredients for the crumble topping and mash them together. You can use a fork or spoon, but I just use my hands to smash it all together. Sprinkle the crumble on top of the bread pudding.
6. Bake your bread pudding at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into it comes out clean. This will take about 30 minutes.
7. During the last five or so minutes of baking, make your sauce.

Instructions for the Sauce

1. In a small saucepan, melt your butter over low heat.
2. Add the sugar and stir, then add the Sherry and stir it with a rubber spatula.
3. Cook gently until the sugar is dissolved. This takes five to seven minutes over medium-low heat.
4. Add the half and half and stir.
5. Pour the sauce over the pumpkin pecan bread pudding and serve. You can also serve the sauce on the side so everyone can decide if they want it or not.

Please enjoy this how-to video!