Pumpkin Cheese cake bread pudding

Set oven rack in middle, and preheat oven 350. Coat a 9x13 glass baking dish with PAM spray. Set aside a larger pan for a water bath.

Brush each slice of brioche on both sides with melted butter.

Combine cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and mix until smooth.

Combine eggs, pumpkin, milk, heavy cream vanilla, salt, allspice ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon in bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until smooth. Add cream cheese mixture and combine.

Pour 1/2 cup pumpkin custard in the bottom of the baking dish. Tilt and swirl dish to make sure that the custard completely covered with a thin layer of custard. Layer 6-8 slices of brioche on top of the custard. Pour 1/2 of the remaining custard over the brioche Add remaining brioche and custard in layers.

Add topping: Use a knife to cut 8 slits through the layered pudding. Cover top of pudding with plastic wrap and press down gently with your palms. Let stand 15 min, them remove plastic. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the pudding. Pour melted sugar over the top.

Place baking dish on a rack in a large metal pan. Pour hot water into the pan until the water level rises halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Place carefully in the oven. Bake 1 hr. 15 min. or until the top is nicely browned and the custard has risen to the top of the baking dish. Check water bath occasionally and add more water, if needed.

Carefully remove baking dish from oven and water bath. Allow pudding to cool 1 hr. Serve slightly warm or cold with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Optional: I put some chopped semi-sweet chocolate in the version I made for you all.

Enjoy!!!!!