PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING

Serves 12

9 ounces brioche or other rich egg bread

3 ounces unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

1-1/2 cups milk

6 ounces granulated sugar

6 large eggs, beaten

2 egg yolks, beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Water

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Use a serrated bread knife to cut the brioche into 1/2-inch cubes. Put them in a bowl. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Drizzle it over the bread cubes, gently tossing them with a wooden spoon to coat them evenly. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven for 8 minutes to dry them out slightly and toast them lightly. Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, stir together the milk and half of the sugar. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then immediately remove from the heat.

In a heatproof mixing bowl, stir together the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and remaining sugar. Stirring the egg mixture continuously, pour in a spoonful of the pumpkin puree and a small ladleful of the hot milk-sugar mixture. Then, gradually stir in the remaining pumpkin and hot milk. Hold a fine-meshed sieve over another mixing bowl and pour the mixture through the sieve, pressing it through with a rubber spatula.

Add the bread cubes, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to the pumpkin-egg mixture, stirring gently to combine them. Leave to soak for about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter 12, 4-ounce soufflé cups. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.

Spoon the bread pudding mixture into the prepared soufflé cups and place them, not touching, inside a large baking pan. Open the oven, pull out a rack and place the pan securely on the rack; then carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come 1/2 inch up the outsides of the soufflé dishes. Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil. Carefully slide the rack and pan into the oven and close the oven. Bake until the soufflés are puffy and cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes, removing the foil for the last 15 minutes or so to let the tops brown.

Carefully remove the pan from the oven and transfer the soufflé cups to individual serving plates. Serve immediately.