Easy Pot Luck Contribution

by digby

If you are supposed to bring dessert to Thanksgiving dinner and you don’t have the vaguest idea how to bake, rather than bringing some plastic store bought pie, try this:

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

* 1 cup heavy cream
* 3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
* 1/2 cup whole milk
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
* Pinch of ground cloves
* 5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old baguette or crusty bread
* 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

*
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
*
Whisk together cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, and spices in a bowl.
*
Toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25 to 30 minutes.

It couldn’t be easier. You can make it tonight or in the morning and then heat it up in the oven before serving. Serve with whipped cream or, better yet, some Dulce de leche ice cream.

.