Bread Pudding

I can't recall ever having bread pudding before, so I'm not certain that this tastes like bread pudding, but I thought it was good.  I made a lot of substitutions, so this is my heavily adapted version.  Next time I would chop the pecans up and maybe pass on the craisins and just put in more pear or apple.


Bread Pudding (adapted from Smitten Kitchen) (Adapted from Melissa Murphy and David Page via Food & Wine)

Ingredients

1 pound bakery white or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pear, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup (6 ounces) craisins, plumped in hot water for 15 minutes
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 6 minutes, until crisp. Transfer to a bowl and add the pear and craisins.
2. Generously butter either a 9×13-inch deep baking dish.
3. In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer or whisk, beat the eggs with the sugar. Beat in the ground spices, vanilla and salt.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk with the maple syrup until just warm to the touch. Gradually beat the warm milk into the egg mixture, scraping the bottom and side of the bowl.
5. Spread bread mixture out in your large baking dish. Pour the custard over the bread mixture, nudging the bread around a bit to make sure it soaks all of the pieces. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the pecans on top. Bake in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes, until puffed and set, with the tops lightly browned. Let the bread pudding rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.