Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Bacon and Bourbon Caramel Sauce

• Cube raisin bread and place in a large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare bacon according to package directions. Cook until crispy.
• Once bacon is cooked, remove from oven and chop into small bite-size pieces. Set aside.
• Turn oven down to 350°F for the bread pudding. Spray a 13×9 baking pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine eggs, cream, pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and sugar using a whisk.
• Add the pumpkin mixture, chocolate chips, bacon and bread together until combined and all the bread is coated well.
• Pour bread mixture in the prepared baking pan and place in preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

Caramel Sauce

• In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine all ingredients EXCEPT bourbon. Bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Turn heat down to low and boil until mixture darkens and thickens.
• Add the bourbon slowly so the caramel mixture does not boil over. Remove from heat.

Recipe created by Hatfield’s executive chef, Chef Jen