Butternut Squash Bread Pudding

Butternut squash is an immensely versatile vegetable and this recipe, from Chef Thi at Powisset Farm, makes it the star of a fantastic bread pudding.

Butternut Squash Bread Pudding with Salted Coconut Cream (Serves 6)

Using croissants instead of bread gives this pudding a buttery richness.  

5 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 5 teaspoons
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4  teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
4 large butter croissants (day old works best), large dice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 pound  butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and diced small 
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk 

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees.

Step 2

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar until the mixture is pale yellow in color. Set aside.

Step 3

In a small sauce pot, heat the cream, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt over high heat until the mixture just begins to bubble, about 5 –6 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk two ladle-fulls of cream into the egg yolk mixture to temper it. Whisk in the remaining cream.

Step 4

Lightly grease a 9-inch by 7-inch pan. Add the croissants and cover with the custard. Let the croissant pieces absorb the custard for 15 minutes, submerging the croissants in the custard with the back of a spoon, as necessary.

Step 5

Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. When melted, add the brown sugar and diced butternut squash. Sautee the squash until soft, about 15 minutes, lowering the heat as necessary to prevent scorching. Transfer the squash to the bread pudding and lightly toss the squash with the soaked croissant pieces to mix.

Step 6

Blend the cinnamon with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar to make cinnamon sugar. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of the bread pudding.

Step 7

Place the bread pudding in a large rectangular pan. Fill the larger pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the bread pudding pan to create a water bath. Place the bread pudding in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Cool the bread pudding for 1 hour. It may seem undercooked, but the custard needs to be set before serving.

Step 8

In a small saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk with the remaining 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool. When ready to serve, spoon the bread pudding into bowls and top with some of the coconut cream.