FARGO — Pumpkin season is officially upon us, and this week I am celebrating with this simple, rustic and delicious Pumpkin Walnut Bread Pudding.
Bread pudding is delightfully easy to make and a terrific way to utilize stale bread. Fresh bread has a fair amount of moisture that can cause the pudding to crumble and become mushy as it bakes. However, the dryness of stale bread allows it to fully absorb the liquid custard, and the lack of extra moisture in the bread helps the pudding hold its shape in the oven.
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Heartier white breads, like a rustic Italian loaf, brioche, or French baguette are ideal for bread pudding, as are dinner rolls, challah and even croissants.
The bread is cut into 1-inch cubes, and I like to leave some of the crust on it because it adds a pleasant chewiness to the texture of the bread pudding. How much bread is needed for this recipe can vary depending on the size of your baking pan, so I fill my pan as I cut it and stop once it is packed to the top.
The custard base features a blend of autumn flavors, including pure pumpkin puree, maple syrup, brown sugar and a medley of warm spices. For richness, I add two eggs, half a stick of melted butter, a touch of vanilla extract and 1½ cups of either half and half, milk or heavy (or any combination of these dairy products). Making the custard is quick and easy — just whisk these ingredients together until they are well combined.
Next, I add the bread cubes and chopped walnuts and toss the mixture together until the bread is fully coated with the custard. Then, I pour the mixture into a square baking pan, cover it with a tea towel, and let it rest for 15 minutes before baking. This gives the stale bread time to fully absorb the custard and ensures that every bite is moist and tender. I bake the bread pudding until the crust is crisp and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
The result is a wonderfully spiced bread pudding full of pumpkin flavor. The texture is crisp on the outside and lush and creamy inside, with a lovely bit of crunch from the toasty walnuts. I serve this bread pudding warm, with a decadent drizzle of my Best Salted Caramel Sauce ; whipped cream or ice cream would also work well.
Delicious, richly spiced and full of warm fall flavors, this Pumpkin Walnut Bread Pudding is the perfect dessert to snuggle into as the temperatures outside begin to fall. Welcome, October.
Fun tip: My recipes from the past four weeks were designed to create the perfect fall dinner menu, complete with soup, salad, main course and dessert. If you would like a printable copy of this collection, please send me an email to sarahnasello@gmail.com . You can find more great pumpkin recipes (both sweet and savory) online at sarahnasello.com .
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Pumpkin Walnut Bread Pudding
Serves: 4 to 6 (For larger servings, this recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9x13 baking dish.)
Ingredients:
- 5 to 6 cups day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (enough to fill the baking pan to the top)
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup canned pure pumpkin puree
- 1½ cups half and half, milk or heavy cream (any combination also works)
- 4 tablespoons (half-stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped, plus more for garnish if desired
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the stale bread into cubes, starting with 5 cups, until there is enough to fill an 8x8x2 square baking pan to the top.
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In a large bowl, add the eggs, pumpkin, half and half, melted butter, sugar, syrup, vanilla, spices and salt. Whisk the mixture until well combined, about 1 minute.
Add the bread cubes and most of the walnuts (save 2 tablespoons to use as garnish). Use a rubber spatula to toss the mixture until the bread cubes are evenly coated with the custard. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the bread sit for 15 minutes to fully absorb the custard.
Transfer the bread pudding to the baking pan and give it a shake to evenly distribute the bread. Bake until the top is gently crisp and golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove the pudding from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
Serve warm with a drizzle of caramel sauce, a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream and more chopped walnuts.
To store: Cover and refrigerate the bread pudding for up to 5 days or freeze slices in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
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