Southern Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cone piloncillo sugar (or 1 cup brown sugar)
• 2 whole cinnamon sticks
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 whole star anise
• 1/4 cup Orange Juice
• 1 tbsp bourbon
• 1 small sweet potato (peeled and diced)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4-5 cups broken bread pieces or cubes (Challah is an option)
• 3 eggs (beaten)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups Milk
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Smoked Sea Salt
• 2 tbsp Butter

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Prepare Bread Pudding ---

2. 2

   In a small saucepan add the sugar, milk, melted butter, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt. Heat on a low simmer mixing constantly until the sugar dissolves completely.

3. 3

   Pour the cream mixture over the cubed bread and allow to soak refrigerated 1 hour.

4. 4

   Remove bread mixture from the refrigerator and top with beaten eggs. Stir gently so bread soaks up as much of the egg mixture as possible.

5. 5

   Grease a baking dish with butter. Add soaked bread pudding mixture to the pan. Add pan to oven preheated to 375 degrees F. Cook for 45 minutes.

6. 6

   While bread cooks, make the sauce.

7. 7

   --- Prepare Sauce ---

8. 8

   Toast the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise in a medium saucepan for 10-15 seconds.

9. 9

   Increase the heat to medium. Add the diced sweet potatoes, the piloncillo, water, and orange juice. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.

10. 10

    Strain out the sweet potatoes about halfway through cooking (about 15 minutes) then add add syrup mixture back to the pan to finish reducing. If the Piloncillo is not fully dissolved continue cooking until it is before removing the sweet potatoes.

11. 11

    Allow to cool 3-4 minutes which gives a bit more time for the syrup to thicken up.

12. 12

    Serve the bread pudding topped with the sauce.