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Ingredients:
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
- 2 egg yolks (room temperature)
- 3 eggs (room temperature)
- 2 cups cream or whole milk
- 1 1/2 15oz. cans pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cloves
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 large loaf Challah bread cut into 1" cubes (Challah bread is an egg-enriched rustic bread with great texture for this recipe)
Directions:
Adjust oven racks to middle and lower middle positions and heat oven to 325 (degrees)
Spread bread cubes in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets.
Bake, tossing occasionally, until just dry, about 15 minutes, switching trays from top to bottom racks halfway through.
Cool bread cubes about 15 minutes.
Keeping the oven at 325 (degrees), butter the bottom and sides of a large baking dish (9 x 13 x 2 inch).
Whisk sugar, yolks and eggs to combine. Set aside.
Use a saucepan to heat cream or milk until small bubbles form at the edges of the pan. This should take about 4 minutes.
Slowly whisk the milk mixture into the egg mixture.
Take out another mixing bowl and whisk the pumpkin puree with the vanilla, salt and spices, then add the egg and milk mixture.
Split vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds into the mixture. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
Press the bread into the baking dish and pour the pumpkin custard over the top, pressing bread down gently to soak up the custard.
Bake 40 minutes until golden brown and puffed up nicely.
Serve with maple whipped cream and maple spiced nuts.
Recipe for Maple Spiced Pecans
Ingredients:
- 3 cups pecans halves
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp corn syrup
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp sugar
Directions:
Preheat over to 250 (degrees).
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and coat with non-stick spray.
Mix all ingredients together and spread the coated nuts out on the parchment.
Bake about 12 minutes, until nicely browned. Stir about 1/2 way through.
Once cooled, you may store these in a covered container for up to 1 week.
Recipe for Maple Whipped Cream
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cream
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Directions:
Whip cream on low speed of an electric mixer until it begins to thicken.
Add maple syrup and whip on medium speed until soft peaks form. In case you over whip it and it looks curdled, just add a little more cream and whip it until it forms soft peaks.
