TBT Recipe: Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Whiskey Hard Sauce - Cooking by the Book

Ingredients

• 8 cups torn or cubed stale raisin bread (about 1 large loaf)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon mace
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin [the pie stuff]
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon best-quality bourbon or rye
• pinch of salt