Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Praline

This will be on my table this Thanksgiving for sure. It comes to us from Carolina Kitchen.

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Praline Burbon Topping

8 Tbsp. Butter
1 loaf Soft French or Italian bread - torn into large pieces
2 Medium sweet potatoes - baked for one hour - cooled and skinned
4 cups Milk
4 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a medium baking dish. Slice the cooled sweet potatoes into large chunks. Layer the prepared dish with bread, and tuck sweet potato pieces in between the bread. Press down into baking dish. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat together milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over bread and sweet potatoes and set aside until bread soaks up milk mixture (2-3 hours or overnight). Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the butter into small pieces, and scatter over the bread pudding, and bake for 35-40 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Praline Topping:

2 sticks Butter
3/4 cup Light brown sugar
1 cup Chopped pecans
1/4 cup Bourbon

To make praline sauce:Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and stir until sugar melts and begins to boil - about 5 minutes. Stir in pecans and bourbon. Spoon warm over bread pudding.