Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

Okay.... so it has been almost a month since my last post.   Needless to say, it was the worst month of my life.  But I think I have to continue cooking, baking, and blogging.  I took a long time off from all three, but this week I have gotten back into feeding my family, so tonight it's time to blog again.  I think that Dad would have wanted me to continue carrying on his love for food, feeding family, and sharing recipes.  So Dad, this blog is for you.  I love you.

 I have to play a bit of catch-up, because some of the recipes I have to share I made in early May!  But this one was good enough that it would just be wrong not to blog it, because it was really good.  We all loved it, even those of us who didn't think that pecan pie bread pudding sounded good!

I recently learned that I love pecan pie.  I think it may have happened around Thanksgiving.  I'm really not a walnut person; the texture is weird and I think they are bitter.  Pecans, though: they're like the candy of nuts.  A little bit sweet, perfectly crunchy, and wonderful in all sorts of baked goods.  I've made lots of pecan things: butter pecan cookies, ginger pecan cake, maple pecan scones, pecan pie muffins ... so lots of pecan-y things.  But this one might be one of my favorites.

The other great thing about this recipe, besides the delicious outcome, is that it was quick and easy and didn't call for too many ingredients.  You basically chop some pieces of bread and pour on top a mixture of everything from eggs to brown sugar to cinnamon.  Pecans get added in too, obviously, and you poke around with a spatula until everything is evenly coated.

You might think this would have a weird texture (as soon as Rach saw me whisking eggs, she was turned off), but I promise you, this is not egg-y or slimy or weird at all.  It reminded us of French toast mixed with pecan pie.  Even I, not a sweet lower, and Rachael, who had her doubts in the beginning, were fans of this bread pudding.  In fact, writing this post makes me miss this dessert and I think I may have to make it again soon.

Recipe:

pecan pie bread pudding

from Something Swanky 

Ingredients:

8 cups bite-sized bread pieces

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon maple or vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup pecans, halved or chopped

Instructions:

1) Prepare an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper and spraying well with a non-stick cooking spray.

2) Place all of the bread pieces into the baking dish.

3) Pour the melted butter over the bread.

4) In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple or vanilla extract, cinnamon, and the salt.

5) Stir in the pecans. Pour evenly over the bread pieces. Use a rubber spatula to push and "prod" the bread pieces around in the dish until all are coated in the syrupy mixture.

6) Bake at 375º for 45 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream, or, if you're like my family, iced cream!