Team Hannahhill's
Coconut Cream Bread Pudding
12 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1 ½ cups sugar (divided)
4 large eggs
2 ½ cups milk (divided)
1 15-ounce can of coconut cream (divided)
8 TBS butter (melted and divided)
1 8-ounce loaf of French bread (cut into 1-inch cubes)
½ cup sweetened coconut
¾ cup chopped pecans
Vegetable spray
Preheat Dutch oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese at low speed with mixer until creamy. Add 1 cup sugar and eggs and beat until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 2 cups milk, 1 cup cream of coconut and 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Pour over bread cubes and let stand for a few minutes.
Prepare a Dutch oven for baking. Pour mixture into dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until set.
Stir together flaked coconut, pecans and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle coconut mixture over baked pudding and bake 5 more minutes or until browned.
Cook remaining ½ cup sugar in a heavy pan over low heat. Stir constantly until sugar melts and turns into a brown liquid. Stir the remaining ½ cup milk and ½ cup cream of coconut together and pour into the melted sugar. Stir until sugar and liquid mixes well. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Serve the caramelized sugar sauce over the pudding.
Garnish (if desired) with praline pecans and a flower. (NOTE: Cut the calories, cholesterol and fat by using 1/3 less fat cream cheese, skim milk and Egg Beaters. The result is still delicious.)