Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding with Brandy Nog Creme Anglaise
Says Miyoko: “If you love the warmth and spice of pumpkin pie but don’t want to bother with the fuss of a crust or are looking for a lower-fat alternative, this bread pudding will tickle your heart.
Served with the creme anglaise, this might just replace that pie at holiday time.
To make this, you’ll want slightly stale or lightly toasted bread so that it soaks up the custard. You can use any kind of bread you like, but I recommend something on the lighter side–this is not a dessert that beckons for a heavy rye or hearty whole grain bread.”
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 6 cups cubed light-textured stale bread crust trimmed
- 1 pound pureed pumpkin 1 can is fine
- 8 ounces medium-firm tofu drained and mashed
- 3/4 cup soy or almond milk
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup raisins soak in rum for an hour if you want a little extra punch!
Brandy Nog
- 3/4 cup water
- Scant 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 ¼ - 2 ½ tablespoons brandy
- 1 1/2 vanilla beans split, or
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg Pinch of salt
Instructions
To make the bread pudding
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 13" x 9" baking dish by lightly oiling it or coating it with cooking spray. If your bread is fresh, not stale, toast the cubes in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to dry it out.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the pumpkin, tofu, milk, maple syrup, cornstarch or arrowroot, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Puree until smooth.
- Fill the baking dish with the bread cubes. Pour the pumpkin mixture and the raisins over the bread and mix well with a spoon. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until the custard has set.
To make the brandy nog
- In a blender or food processor, combine the water and cashews. Puree until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and add the maple syrup, brandy, vanilla beans or vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat while stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. As it heats, it will thicken. The sauce is ready when it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
- Top the bread pudding with the brandy nog.
Notes
Reprinted from Living the Farm Sanctuary Life by Gene Baur with Gene Stone. © 2015 by Gene Baur. Photographs © 2015 by Rodale Inc. By Permission of Rodale Books. Available wherever books are sold.