Pumpkin Cornbread Pudding with Cinnamon Caramel

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter.

Step 2

Combine the cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk until evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the buttermilk, milk, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, mix well (there will still be some small lumps in the batter).

Step 3

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out dry. Cool the cornbread. Flip the cornbread out of the pan and cut it into 1/2″ cubes.

Step 4

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the 3 eggs. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mixing well.

Step 5

Lastly, stir in the whipping cream and vanilla until incorporated. Refrigerate until cornbread has cooled.

Step 6

Drop the oven temperature to 375°F. Grease 6 deep ramekins with butter (see notes). Using 2/3 of the cornbread cubes, divide them among the ramekins.

Step 7

Pour the pumpkin custard into each ramekin, filling each to the top. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Step 8

Bake for about 40 minutes, covering the ramekins with aluminum foil 25 minutes into the baking.

Step 9

Toss the remaining cubes of cornbread with the melted butter and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. When the puddings have 3 minutes left in the oven, top each ramekin with a few cubes of cornbread and finish baking.

Step 10

Remove the ramekins from the oven and make sure a toothpick comes out dry.

Step 11

While the pumpkin cornbread puddings are baking, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Step 12

Use a wet pastry brush to wash down the sides of the pan, and let the mixture boil for about 6 minutes, undisturbed, until the syrup is an amber color.

Step 13

Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream and butter (it will bubble and crystalize the sugar). Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat, and stir until the hardened caramel dissolves and the caramel is smooth.

Step 14

Add the cinnamon and salt. Remove from the heat and serve warm.

Step 15

Serve the pumpkin cornbread puddings with a generous amount of cinnamon caramel on top of each.

Step 16

Toss the popcorn with cinnamon and salt, just a pinch of each.

Step 17

Use the popcorn as a garnish.