We all know and love pumpkin pie and pecan pie, but we’re willing to admit we don’t always feel like diving into the world of pie pastry. Not to fret, though—this Pumpkin-Pecan Bread Pudding is here for you. Taking all your favorite warm flavors of fall and turning them into a dessert that’s both easy to assemble and share, this bread pudding might just be one of the best shortcuts to effortless entertaining. Gooey, sweet pumpkin and toasted, crunchy pecans are mixed with a warmly spiced custard and chunks of pillowy-soft challah to form the ultimate fall bread pudding. And using the SHARP SuperSteam+™ Built-In Wall Oven (SSC2489DS), this bread pudding gently but thoroughly steams and bakes to create the ideal rich and tender dessert. Topped with a drizzle of Salted Caramel Sauce, this bread pudding is the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and crunchy components.
The Sharp SuperSteam+™ Built-in Wall Oven (SSC2489DS) is a hybrid convection oven that uses both heat and water to cook. It has five high-performance cooking modes: Steam, Steam Bake, Convection Bake, Super Steam Grill, and Super Steam Roast. The combination of superheated steam and conventional, radiant heat in cooking modes means your food will be delightfully crisp and browned on the outside while remaining deliciously moist on the inside. For this bread pudding, that means a perfectly crisp top crust and a smooth, custardy center. This oven even includes a Water Bath feature, which works as a virtual bain-marie for slightly more technical slow-baking custards, cheesecakes, and puddings.
The SHARP® SuperSteam+™ Built-In Wall Oven (SSC2489DS) combines cooking with steam (212°F), superheated steam (485°F), and traditional convection, which circulates heat with fans. Each preprogrammed setting gives you more options to master home-baked sweet treats. It’s like having all the advantages of a bakery-style oven (plus a few extra features) right at home. If you’re looking to create your own crusty, bakery-style breads, you’ll want to use Steam Bake Bread Mode. For breads like the French baguette, steam works to hydrate the starch molecules, allowing the bread to rise before setting the crust. The result is an interior with those iconic air pockets and a crisp, unbelievably chewy crust. And that beautiful exterior sheen? Also thanks to steam. This means you can put away your spray bottles, ice, and cast-iron pans. The Steam Bake Bread Mode can help you get that same crust, only faster, and it’s just at the touch of a button.
With creations this beautifully baked, it’ll be hard to resist the urge to post a picture right away. Well, the engineers at Sharp are always one step ahead and have equipped this oven with beautifully bright Stage Lighting that makes it easy to snap a photo with your phone and share your creations instantly. And while you have your phone out, did you know you can even preheat your oven remotely with the Sharp SuperSteam+ App? It’s perfect for the busy baker. The app will send push notifications to your mobile device to let you know when your oven has finished preheating and when your food is ready. Even when you’re done baking, Sharp takes care of cleanup. The Sharp SuperSteam+™ Built-in Wall Oven (SSC2489DS) comes equipped with two preset cleaning modes, and there’s even a sterilize option for all your canning jars, lids, and small kitchen utensils.
Whether you’re designing your dream kitchen or looking for an upgrade, keep the Sharp SuperSteam+™ Built-in Wall Oven (SSC2489DS) in mind and get the power of steam at your fingertips. Its design is sleek and polished and can be installed in a wall, under the counter, or in a kitchen island with no additional trim kit needed. Oh, and did we mention there is no wet-wall installation or water line required? That means an easy install with no additional requirements—so, what are you waiting for? And don’t forget to check out the Simply Better Living blog by Sharp for more ideas and recipes.
- 16 ounces (454 grams) challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 14 cups)
- 1¾ cups (442 grams) canned pumpkin (about 1 [15-ounce] can)
- 2½ cups (600 grams) cold heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1½ cups (360 grams) whole milk
- ⅔ cup (133 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar, divided
- ⅔ cup (147 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 5 large eggs (250 grams)
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) bourbon (see Notes), divided
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) pumpkin pie spice
- 1¾ teaspoons (5.25 grams) kosher salt
- ¾ cup (85 grams) chopped toasted pecans, divided
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
- Garnish: chopped toasted pecans
- Spread bread cubes evenly in 2 trays. Set SHARP SuperSteam+TM Built-In Wall Oven (SSC2489DS) to Manual/Convection Bake/ Preheat/2 Trays/275°F/25 minutes/Start. When preheated, place trays on oven’s upper and lower racks. Press Start.
- Bake for 25 minutes until lightly golden, dry, and toasted, rotating trays halfway through baking. Let cool on trays for 10 minutes.
- In a very large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, 1½ cups (360 grams) cold cream, milk, 2⁄3 cup (133 grams) granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, 2 tablespoons (30 grams) bourbon, cinnamon, pie spice, and salt. Add bread cubes; toss until bread is thoroughly coated and mostly submerged. Let stand at room temperature for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally and keeping bread mostly submerged. Stir in ½ cup (57 grams) pecans.
- Brush an 11x8-inch baking dish with melted butter; spread bread mixture evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup (28 grams) pecans.
- Set SHARP SuperSteam+TM Built-In Wall Oven (SSC2489DS) to Manual/Steam Bake/Water Bath/300°F/55 minutes/Start. (Oven will preheat.)
- Place prepared pan on 1 tray; position on lower rack of oven. Press Start.
- Bake for 55 minutes until puffed and set, a wooden pick inserted in center comes out mostly clean, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 165°F (73°C) to 170°F (77°C), adding up to an additional 16 minutes, if necessary. (See Notes). Let cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1 cup (240 grams) cold cream, remaining 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon (15 grams) bourbon until medium-stiff peaks form. Serve warm bread pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce and whipped cream. Garnish with pecans, if desired.
Some 11x8-inch baking dishes may vary a bit in design and capacity, which could impact bake times slightly.
- ½ cup (110 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (120 grams) heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons (63 grams) dark corn syrup
- ¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt
- In a medium saucepan, stir together all ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium- high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a small heatproof bowl. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before using.
STANDARD OVEN INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bake bread cubes at 300°F (150°C) until dry and toasted, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Prepare bread pudding mixture as directed in step 2 and step 3.
- Place bread pudding pan in a 13×9-inch baking dish; add enough hot water to come halfway up sides of bread pudding pan.
- Bake at 325°F (170°C) until set, a wooden pick comes out mostly clean, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers at least 170°F (77°C), 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool, and serve as directed.
