Cornbread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Recipe adapted from Bake from Scratch magazine 

INGREDIENTS:

* Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

BREAD PUDDING:

6 cups cubed cornbread (make your own using dried corn*)

2 medium sweet potatoes* (4 cups cooked potatoes)

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar, divided

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup whole milk*

1/2 cup heavy cream*

3 large eggs*, lightly beaten

1 large egg* yolk

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ground nutmeg

TOPPING:

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 finely chopped pecans

SAUCE:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup heavy cream*

2 Tablespoons bourbon*

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

1. For bread pudding: place cornbread cubes on a baking pan. Bake until dry, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside.
2. Increase oven temperatures to 400 degrees. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork and wrap tightly in foil. Bake until tender, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven, let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out potato pulp into a medium bowl. Add 2 Tablespoons brown sugar and ginger and mash with a fork. Set aside.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
5. In a large bowl, combine cornbread and pecans. Gently fold in mashed sweet potatoes. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and remaining 1⁄2 cup brown sugar. Pour milk mixture over cornbread mixture and let stand for 10 minutes.
6. Lightly grease 12 (6 ounce) custard cups or ramekins. Pour cornbread mixture into prepared cups. Arrange cups on baking sheet.
7. For topping: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, butter and pecans. Sprinkle mixture on top of bread pudding. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate pans between lower and upper racks, and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes clean, about 10 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes.
8. For sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, butter, and cream until melted. Do not boil. Add bourbon. Drizzle sauce over pudding or serve on the side. Serve warm.