Spiced Bread Pudding with a Salted Caramel Banana Topping

This is SWEET! If you like sweets you will love this dessert. I also brought it to work to use as a nice warm breakfast as well. There is no permanent recipe for bread pudding, but it is usually made using stale (usually left-over) bread, (not necessary, a nice brioche or Italian loaf will work) and some combination of ingredients like milk, egg, sugar or syrup, dried fruit, and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla. The bread is soaked in the liquids, mixed with the other ingredients, and baked. You would typically serve this with a creamy topping or ice cream. It is a recipe that can be made in individual cups (oven friendly) or in a large (again Oven friendly) bowl. I chose the large bowl to allow all the ingredients to come together. Not to mention the longer it sits the more flavorful it gets. We are currently on day three of eating it! YUMMY

To make this uncomplicated dessert you will require the following;

2 bananas sliced

2 cups sugar (separated)

sea salt 1 teaspoon

3 large eggs

2 cups half and half

¼ cup milk

2 pats of butter

Bread sliced thick and then cut into chunks about ¾ a loaf of Italian bread

I used pumpkin pie spice for the bread pudding you could use apple pie, cinnamon, nutmeg anything that floats your fancy. The spice is to taste; I tend to be heavy handed on it as I like big bold flavors.

You will need 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Some vanilla ice cream as well

Cut up the bread and set aside.

In a bowl mix the eggs, half and half, 1 cup sugar, vanilla and spices

Mix in the bread and allow it to soak for ten minutes.

While it is soaking, in a pan over medium high heat add 1 cup of sugar.

When the sugar starts to melt add the butter (keep the milk close by)

Allow the sugar to caramelize and stir constantly. Should the caramel start to seize just add a bit of milk to bring it back to a creamy texture. Add the bananas, sea salt and stir.