decadence defined

You want decadence? I've got your decadence right here.

Cinnamon rolls are a treat, to be sure. They take a bit more time and effort to make at home than many foods and are never lacking in calories. If you find yourself craving a cinnamon roll but a)don't want to go to the trouble to make them yourself, and b)haven't found a decent bakery anywhere nearby, let me go ahead and recommend a particular packaged variety to you: Duchess. I've seen their facilities and I know what kind of care they take in formulating, making, and packing their products.

If you find yourself in possession of six or so of these tasty rolls and time gets away from you, you should take advantage of that and make this bread pudding. The recipe is simple and the rewards are great. I jazzed mine up with some easy caramel sauce, but a plop of whipped topping will definitely suffice.

Cinnamon Roll-Me-Away-From-the-Table Bread Pudding with Spiced Caramel Sauce
Makes 9 servings
Ingredients:
Pudding:

• 6 3-ounce Duchess cinnamon rolls (or honey buns!)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt

Sauce:

• 1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
• 1/2 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:
To make the bread pudding, first grease an 8x8-inch pan.
Chop the cinnamon rolls into 1-inch pieces and scatter them into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the pecans on top.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt and pour over the rolls and nuts.
Press the pieces of cinnamon roll down so that the batter can soak into each crevice. Let the mixture sit for an hour, pressing down occasionally.
When about 45 minutes have passed, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, then after an hour, bake the pudding until no liquids appear when you press down gently in the middle and the edges are browned and puffy, about 50-60 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
To make the sauce, mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
Turn off the heat, add the vanilla and spices, and let cool slightly. You can serve it warm (it will be thin) or refrigerate until cold and spoonable.

*I've teamed up with Carolina Foods, Inc and am creating tasty recipes featuring their products. Please keep in mind that they have ownership of these recipes and that all the opinions you read here are, as always, my own.