Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

It should come as no surprise that I am a fan of bread pudding!  Hopefully I will get around to posting another soon as I will be making it for Christmas morning, though this one goes under the pseudonym of French Toast Breakfast Casserole!  Since it has French Toast in the name, makes it suitable for breakfast, vs something that has the word pudding in it!
Anyway, back to the current one.

I obviously love bread pudding and have always liked pecan pie, though I don't get it that often and haven't actually every tried making one.  I figured this version would be the best of both worlds and a perfect winter dessert.

Boy was I right!  The top was crunchy while underneath it was soft and had a sauce of pretty much pure sugar!

If you like pecans, but the idea of making a pecan pie sounds a little daunting, pecans can be expensive, give this one a try!

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

Originally found on Call Me PMC

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) loaf of day old French bread (or any dense type bread)

2 1/2 C. milk

1 C. half and half

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 C. sugar

1 Tbls. vanilla (or more if you are like me!)

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 C. butter, softened

1 1/2 C. packed brown sugar

1 C. pecan pieces

Directions:

1. Cube or tear bread into 1" size pieces.  In a medium bowl combine eggs, milk, half and half, sugar, salt and vanilla.  Whisk until combined, set aside.  

2. In a small bowl combine butter, brown sugar and pecans, mix with a fork to help combine and break up the ingredients.  It will have the consistency of wet sand.

3. In a 1 quart or 8x8 pan spread half of the bread pieces and then pour half of the egg mixture.  Top with half of the pecan mixture and repeat the layers.  Pan should be full.  

4. You can either bake this for 45-55 minutes at 350 or put in the fridge, up to 12 hours and bake.  I like mine to sit, at least for 30 minutes so the moisture can be absorbed into the bread.  I would recommend putting a cookie sheet underneath it, just in case.  Let it cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy!