Looking for a new dessert to try this fall?

Here is Pumpkin-Bacon Bread Pudding with Bourbon-Maple Sauce and Candied Bacon. Enjoy!

Pumpkin-Bacon Bread Batter
3lbs. old bread torn and dried.
30oz. (#5 can) of pumpkin pie mix (pureed pumpkin and spices)
1 ½ lbs. of bacon before cooking. Cook fully and crumble
5 lg Eggs
1 qt. Heavy Cream
1 c Brown sugar (I used dark)
½ c Maple Syrup
1/3 c extra pumpkin pie spices

Bourbon-Maple Sauce
2c Bourbon
1c Maple Syrup
3c Brown Sugar (again I used dark)
1t Vanilla extract
1 Cinnamon stick

Candied Bacon
1 lb. raw bacon cut into ½” slices

Directions
Bread Batter
Mix all ingredients thoroughly by hand. Spread evenly into a preheated and greased 2” hotel pan. Bake at 350 degrees conventional oven for 1 hour. Bake at 325 degrees convection for 20 minutes covered. Uncover and bake for 30 more or until toothpick comes out of the center clean. Let cool 15-20 minutes and cut into 24 pieces. Drizzle syrup across the pudding.

Bourbon-Maple Sauce
In a sauce pot, burn off Bourbon slowly. Safest not to ignite. Add rest of ingredients, mix and return to simmer. Reduce by 1/3 to ½ or a syrup consistency. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Remove cinnamon stick.

Candied Bacon
Cut bacon into ½ “ slices. Cook bacon until starting to brown and edges crisping. Drain grease and return to skillet on medium heat. Add 3/8c of dark brown sugar and whisk consistently until caramelization occurs. Scoop out with a slotted spoon on to a sprayed, lined sheet pan. Let bacon cool then crumble.

– Serve pudding with vanilla bean ice cream topped with bourbon maple syrup and candied bacon.

– Variation: Try things- pecans, walnuts, almonds. Candy the nuts, chili roast the nuts, molasses, whatever.