Pumpkin bread pudding with spiced caramel apple sauce and vanilla custard

Ingredients:

Pumpkin Bread:

• 225 g (no more than 1 cup) canned pumpkin puree without sugar
• 4 tablespoons softened butter, plus extra for greasing
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1.5 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs category CO
• 2/3 cup water

Pudding:

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 tbsp bourbon
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 vanilla pod with seeds
• 6 yolks from category CO eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. maple syrup
• Toasted and diced pumpkin bread
• Vanilla custard, see recipe below
• Spiced Caramel Apple Sauce, see recipe below
• Whipped cream

Vanilla Custard:

• 2 cups low-fat cream (10-12%)
• 1/2 vanilla pod with seeds
• 5 egg yolks from category CO eggs
• 1/3 cup cane sugar

Spiced Caramel Apple Sauce:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 star anise (star anise)
• A 2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced.
• 4 buds of cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp apple schnapps

Preparation:

1. Pumpkin Bread:
   
   Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease or lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23cm) loaf pan with cooking spray.
   
   In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
   
   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a pastry hook, beat 4 tablespoons of softened butter, sugar, and vegetable oil on high speed for about 1 minute until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down any caked-on mixture from the sides and bottom of the bowl several times.
   
   Add the pumpkin puree and mix. Add the eggs one at a time and mix. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and water and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely.
   
   When the bread has cooled, cut it in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 1.5 cm cubes. Place the bread cubes on a large baking sheet and toast in the oven at 160°C for 20 minutes, turning once. Let cool.
2. Spiced Caramel Apple Sauce:
   
   In a small saucepan, combine the cream, apple juice, star anise, ginger, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for at least 20 minutes. Strain the mixture into a clean small saucepan and return to a low heat. Cook until caramelized.
   
   In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and vinegar. Place over high heat and cook, without stirring, until the mixture is a rich amber color, about 8 minutes. Slowly whisk in the warm cream mixture until smooth. Add the apple schnapps and cook for another 30 seconds.
   
   Pour the sauce into a bowl and keep warm. This sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat over low heat before serving.
3. Vanilla Custard:
   
   In a medium saucepan, bring the cream, vanilla bean and seeds to a simmer.
   
   In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is a thin, pale yellow color. Slowly whisk in the cream, return the mixture to the saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to gather on the spoon. Strain into a bowl and place it in ice water. Stir until the mixture cools.
   
   Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
4. Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Applesauce and Vanilla Custard:
   
   Preheat oven to 160°C. In a small saucepan, combine the cream, milk, vanilla bean, and vanilla seeds. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
   
   In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree. Slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture, remove the vanilla bean, and stir in the bourbon. Strain the sauce into a clean bowl.
   
   Place pumpkin bread cubes in a greased 13x9-inch glass baking dish. Pour the sauce over the bread, pressing down to completely submerge it. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the sauce.
   
   Place the baking dish inside a larger pan and fill the larger pan with hot tap water until it comes halfway up the sides of the glass dish. Bake until the edges of the pudding are slightly puffed and the center is slightly set, about 1 hour.
   
   Before serving, remove the pudding from the oven and water bath and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
   
   Place a small amount of vanilla custard in a bowl, top with vanilla pudding, and drizzle with spiced caramel apple sauce. Top with whipped cream. The bread pudding is best served warm.