Pumpkin bread pudding

Thanks to a suggestion by discerning dots4eyes, I made the pumpkin bread pudding on the Smitten Kitchen blog.

It's really easy to make, and there are all sorts of variations possible. For example, I did not add bourbon; I don't have any and don't particularly like it -- certainly not enough to drive miles on an icy road to add it to this recipe.

I used my own pumpkin, which is a bit watery, so it wasn't the bright orange you might get using the commercially canned variety. But it was sooo tasty that I felt like doing handsprings. Unfortunately, I am so bundled up in sweaters and long-sleeved shirts that wasn't possible. Or maybe that was fortunate. I haven't done a handspring in many years, and there might have been sad consequences.

One thing I noticed in the comments to the original recipe is that many people are unsure of their cooking skills. One gal lamented that her bread wouldn't cut into squares. Mine didn't either, but in this recipe that doesn't matter.

crumbs being added to custard

One thing that does matter, I think, is to use unsalted butter. I rarely pay attention to this in recipe instructions, and I've never felt anything was too salty . . . except this time. The custard is quite subtle, so whatever is in the butter does shine through. I recommend using the finest butter you can afford. (I used the IGA brand on sale this week, so don't let that stop you.)

Also in the comments was a suggestion to top it off with whipped cream mixed with brown sugar and sour cream. I just used the whipped cream and sugar. The pudding definitely does not need anything added to it, but you really can't go wrong with whipped cream on anything. I sprinkled on some freshly grated nutmeg for an extra spark.

Many comments included something like: "I could eat the whole pan!" Yes, it's that good.