Coconut-Cream Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 8 oz bread loaf french cut into 1-inch cubes
• 8 tablespoons butter divided melted
• 8 oz philadelphia cream cheese softened
• 15 oz cream of coconut divided canned
• 4 large eggs 
• 1.5 cups domino granulated sugar divided
• 2.5 cups milk divided at room temperature
• 0.5 cup pecans chopped
• 0.5 cup coconut or sweetened flaked

Equipment

• sauce pan
• oven
• baking pan
• hand mixer

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 35
2. Beat cream cheese at low speed with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth.
3. Add 1 cup sugar and eggs, and beat at medium speed 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 2 cups milk, 1 cup cream of coconut, and 3 Tbsp. melted butter. Stir in bread cubes.
4. Let stand 5 minutes.
5. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
6. Pour bread mixture into dish.
7. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until set.
8. Stir together flaked coconut, pecans, and 3 Tbsp. melted butter.
9. Sprinkle coconut mixture over baked pudding, and bake 5 to 8 more minutes or until browned.
10. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream of coconut.
11. Cook remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until sugar is caramelized and mixture becomes a light brown syrup. Stir in milk mixture, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened slightly and sugar is dissolved. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. melted butter.
12. Cut bread pudding into 8 to 10 servings, and serve with caramelized sugar sauce.