Ingredients

• 2  beaten eggs
• 1-1/2  cups canned pumpkin
• 1  cup whipping cream
• 1  cup half-and-half or light cream
• 2/3  cup packed brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 5  cups French or Italian bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1  recipe Cinnamon Sauce (see recipe below)

Directions

1. Butter a 2-quart square casserole. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, whipping cream, half-and-half, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Stir in the cubed bread. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Transfer mixture to prepared casserole. Bake in a 400 degree F oven about 50 minutes or until the knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

4. Serve bread pudding warm with warm Cinnamon Sauce. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Cinnamon Sauce: In a large saucepan, combine 1-1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup whipping cream. Heat until the mixture almost simmers. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly beat 4 egg yolks. Beat in 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch. Slowly stir about half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Return all of the mixture to the saucepan and stir until combined. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat a metal spoon. (A thermometer will register 180 degrees F to 190 degrees F.) Immediately pour the hot mixture into a bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.