Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Pecan Crumble

Ingredients

Butter, for baking dish

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups pureed sweet potato
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 egg yolks
2 (1-pound, 4-ounce) loaves white bread, crusts removed

Pecan Crumble

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup toasted and chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, sugars, sweet potato puree, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook over medium-high heat, just until the mixture begins to boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth and combined. Using a ladle, pour 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture in a slow, steady stream into the yolks, whisking constantly. Add another 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk to combine. Pour the egg mixture into the milk mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the custard and reserve.
4. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1 layer of bread slices. Pour about 1/4 of the custard mixture over the bread. Repeat with remaining bread and custard, ending with custard. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
5. Sprinkle the bread pudding with the pecan crumble. Bake until the crumble mixture is golden and the custard is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Pecan Crumble
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients, and mix with a hand mixer on low speed, until well combined.