2010 South Carolina Campground Cookoff Dessert Runner-up

The answer to an insatiable sweet tooth arrived in the form of second place winner, Team Hannahhill's
 Coconut Cream Bread Pudding. With its melt in your mouth texture and dreamy coconut flavor, this five-star comfort food was a hit. We judges wished we had room for a full helping. This is one I will make at home. Hope you will, too.

 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.)