Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Ingredients for bread pudding:

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1-pound loaf cinnamon-raisin bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

Ingredients for burbon pecan sauce:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2/3 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/3 cup whiskey

Directions:

1. To prepare bread pudding, preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 9×13-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter.
2. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Add bread cubes and let stand 5 minutes. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake 40-45 minutes until golden brown and center is set. (The bread pudding will puff as it bakes and will deflate once it’s cooled from the oven.)
3. To prepare bourbon pecan sauce, add the cream, egg yolks and sugar to 2-quart saucepan and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, whisking constantly, or until mixture thinly coats back of spoon. Remove from heat and let the mixture stand, stirring often as it cools.
4. Meanwhile, melt butter in saucepan on medium heat and add pecans. Cook 4-5 minutes or until butter browns and you smell a nutty aroma.
5. Stir the browned butter and pecans into the cream mixture. Stir in whiskey.
6. Serve bread pudding warm drizzled with bourbon pecan sauce. Sauce may be refrigerated for up to 1 day before serving.