Roasted Sugar Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Fresh Cranberry and Salted Caramel

 

1 small sugar pumpkin, halved, seeds scooped, roasted until tender and puréed (about 1½ cups prepared pumpkin)

1½ cups heavy cream

½ cup whole milk

⅓ cup sugar

3 large eggs

2 egg yolks

⅛ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. ground allspice

⅛ tsp. ground ginger

⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 T. vanilla extract

10 cups (from 1 loaf) country-style bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 T. butter, melted

1 cup fresh cranberries, halved

 

1½ cups granulated sugar

10 T. unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 scant cup heavy cream

2 tsp. kosher or sea salt

 

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Whisk together prepared pumpkin purée, cream, milk, sugar, eggs and yolks, salt, spices and vanilla until smooth. Add cubed bread, butter and cranberries and stir to coat bread. Allow to soak for 30 minutes. Transfer to the baking pan. Bake, uncovered, on middle rack until custard sets, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit and cool slightly before cutting. Salted Caramel Sauce: In a heavy-bottom 4-quart saucepan, heat sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring and melting sugar until sugar begins to turn a light to medium amber color, then stop stirring. When sugar is reddish brown, carefully add butter and whisk together. Sugar will bubble up, so use caution and a long whisk. Add cream and continue to whisk over medium-low heat until smooth. Add salt and whisk again until smooth and creamy. Reserve to cool slightly or make ahead and microwave to reheat. Drizzle bread pudding with caramel sauce before serving.