Top Ten Recipes of 2012: Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding

This is a fabulous way to use up any stale challah and extra butternut (or buttercup) squash. I am so thankful that Food & Wine posts their recipes online, since my magazines are already packed up for our move. I'll just re-post the recipe in its original form and note my alterations in the next paragraph.

I substituted 1:1 coconut oil for the butter, and almond milk for the whole milk in the bread pudding. To make the hard sauce, I did half coconut oil and half almond milk. The bourbon I used was Wild Turkey American Honey. I was lazy and didn't make the lattice and put the bread puddings in two casserole dishes. It seemed like a lot, but it was gone fast! Enjoy!

1. 1 stick plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus melted butter for brushing
2. 1 pound challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
3. One 3-pound butternut squash
4. 1 1/4 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
5. 4 large eggs
6. 3 cups whole milk
7. One 14-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
8. 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
9. 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
10. 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
11. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12. 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
13. 2 tablespoons bourbon
14. 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Butter two 9-inch, deep-dish glass or ceramic pie plates. Spread the challah on a large baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes, until lightly golden.
2. Cut the neck from the butternut squash. Peel it and cut it lengthwise into two 3/4-inch-thick slabs. Very thinly slice the slabs into long, thin strips on a mandoline. Peel, seed and cut all of the remaining squash into 1/2-inch dice.
3. In a very large nonstick skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the diced squash and cook over high heat until lightly browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender and glossy, about 3 minutes longer. Let cool.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup of sugar with the eggs, milk, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Add the sautéed squash and the challah and gently toss to combine. Spoon the mixture into the buttered pie plates and top each with a loose lattice pattern of the squash strips. Brush the strips with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Cover with parchment and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes longer, until the tops are golden and the puddings are set. Let the puddings rest for 15 minutes.
5. In a bowl, whisk the remaining butter with the confectioners’ sugar, bourbon and pecans. Serve the pudding with the sauce.

Make Ahead The bread puddings can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Rewarm at 300° for about 15 minutes before serving