Master the Tricks for Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I love pudding. Whether youre talking about crème brûlée, or a bowl of rice pudding its a dessert Ive cherished since I was wee lad. Thats why I was intrigued when I first encountered bread pudding about 20 years ago. It was on the menu at my favorite restaurant at the time, and given my affinity for other puddings I was immediately attracted to it. Imagine my disappointment when my sweet custardy expectations were met with a lump of dried out bread with raisins sticking out of it (to this day Im not a fan of raisins). Still, the concept intrigued me, and I persisted to order and experiment with it both at restaurants and at home. As it turns out, I love bread pudding, but there are a few tricks to making a really great bread pudding. Im talking about a pudding thats smooth and custardy in the middle with a crispy caramelized crust on top. The first thing is you add a lot more liquid than you think it will need. I usually use a 1-2 ratio (1 part liquid to 2 parts bread). The second trick is to soak the mixture overnight. This allows the custard to soak into every last bit of crust, giving you a velvety smooth texture. The last trick is to blast the top at the very end to give it a crispy top. This week Ive used those tricks to make a fantastic savory bread pudding that tastes a whole lot better than most traditional stuffings Ive had. Its moist and flavorful, with just a hit of sweetness coming from the Kabocha pumpkin. Served alongside the roast bird of your choice, it is simply divine.

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Marc Matsumoto is a culinary consultant and recipe repairman who shares his passion for good food through his website norecipes.com. For Marc, food is a life long journey of exploration, discovery and experimentation and he shares his escapades through his blog in the hopes that he inspires others to find their own culinary adventures. Marcs been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today, and has made multiple appearances on NPR and the Food Network.