Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I promise, yours will be gone this fast too!  It's a little piece of heaven this pudding.  Just please, please don't do what I did.  I swear you'll regret it, and you'll be mad that I didn't warn you.  I mean, you may not even be considering it, but if you are, then I must try and stop you, because, well, it would be such a shame, and I'd feel so bad, and, I'm just not good with that kind of guilt.  Plus, not warning you about the biggest mistake you can make with this recipe would be just plain mean, and I'm not a mean person.  But, even if I was, I'd never be that mean.  Because that would be really mean.  We're talking really really mean.  Sorry, am I getting off track here?  There I go, already apologizing.  I should just get on with it, you know, so I don't have to apologize.  But truth be told, I bet you'd never dream of making this mistake anyway.  So why am I worrying about it?  Now I'm worrying about worrying!  Things are really getting out of hand here.  Just don't do it, okay?  Promise?  Pinkie swear?  Good, thanks.  Oh yeah, I haven't even told you yet.  You ready?  Fine, I'll just say it.  Here goes.  On the count of three.  Did I mention that you really really shouldn't do this?  Good, because I want to make sure you know that.  Right, okay, so, here it is, big mistake:  I only made half a recipe.    

From Gourmet, October 2007
Serves 6

Notes: I made a number of substitutions to this recipe with great success.  I didn't have cream so I used 2% milk.  I didn't miss the extra fat.  I was also all out of ground cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, so I used a good amount of pumpkin pie spice.  This didn't appear to make any difference.  I also sprinkled some on top after it was done, which added a little extra yummyness!  Finally, I used salted butter but left out the added salt.  This worked just fine.  And, as I found out from reading the comments about this recipe, lots of people add chocolate chips and/or raisins.  That didn't appeal to me, but then other people add bourbon, which I definitely would have added if I would have had it! 

1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old baguette or crusty bread
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Whisk together cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, and spices in a bowl.

Toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25 to 30 minutes.