Stuffed Pumpkin with Cranberry-Raisin Bread Pudding

Yield: 12 servings; 1 2/3 cups sauce

Ingredients

Pudding

• 1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) pumpkin*
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup Half-and-Half
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 (16 ounce) loaf raisin bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries

Lemon-Vanilla Sauce

• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Pudding

1. Cut off top of pumpkin, reserving lid with stem. Scoop out pumpkin seeds and pulp, and reserve for another use.
2. Brush inside of pumpkin shell with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
3. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
4. Top with lid.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes.
6. Brush inside of baked pumpkin shell with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
7. Stir together eggs and next 6 ingredients; spoon pudding mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch square pan.
8. Bake pumpkin and bread pudding at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.
9. Let pumpkin cool; spoon bread pudding evenly into pumpkin shell.

Lemon-Vanilla Sauce

1. Cook vanilla bean, water, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth and thickened.
2. Stir in butter and remaining ingredients, and cook until thoroughly heated.
3. Remove vanilla bean.

Notes

* For individual servings, substitute 12 (1/2 pound) pumpkins. Scoop out seeds and pulp; sprinkle each pumpkin shell with 1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon sugar, and bake with the bread pudding. (Do not pre-bake as with the larger pumpkin.) Spoon bread pudding evenly into baked pumpkin shells.

Attribution

Southern Living magazine, October 2002