Butternut Squash Bread Pudding with Tres Leches Sauce

Ingredients

• 0.3 teaspoon five-spice powder chinese
• 12 oz baguette 
• 0.5 cup firmly brown sugar light packed
• 12 servings butter for pan
• 2 lbs butternut squash 
• 5 large eggs 
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar 
• 3 cups half-and-half divided
• 12 servings tres leches sauce 
• 0.3 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• knife
• blender
• microwave

Directions

1. Cut bread into 1-in. cubes and spread them on a baking sheet or clean counter.
2. Let sit overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 35
4. With a fork or sharp knife, poke holes all over squash. Microwave it on high 10 minutes.
5. Let sit until cool enough to handle. Halve squash lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds. Flesh should be tender when scraped with a fork; if it isn't, microwave on high (cut side down) in 1-minute intervals until tender.
6. Scrape flesh from 1 squash half into a blender. Whirl with 2 cups half-and-half, the granulated sugar, nutmeg, and five-spice powder until smooth.
7. Add eggs and whirl just to combine.
8. Put bread cubes in a large bowl and pour half the egg mixture over them. Stir remaining 1 cup half-and-half into remaining egg mixture and pour entire mixture over bread.
9. Let sit 30 minutes.
10. Meanwhile, scrape flesh from other squash half into a medium bowl.
11. Add brown sugar and mash coarsely with a fork.
12. Gently stir mashed squash into bread mixture. Butter a 9- by 13-in. pan and pour mixture into pan.
13. Bake until set in the center, about 30 minutes.
14. Serve warm, with Tres Leches Sauce.