Top 5 Reasons why not to attempt to make Bobby Flay's pumpkin bread pudding this Thanksgiving
Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 4:19PM 
As many of you know, blogger Ree Drummond (aka Pioneer Woman) was featured last week on Bobby Flay's Throwndown. Many of her fans and jealous fellow bloggers tuned in to watch her kick Bobby Flay's butt at a homestyle Thanksgiving feast at her ranch home in Oklahoma.
The big talk of the show was the fact that Mr. Flay did not make a traditional pie for dessert, but instead made a pumpkin bread pudding that was apparently SO good, Ree's own daughter told the world she preferred it to her mom's pecan pie. Being housebound and sick for the majority of the week, I went through this "I NEED TO DO SOMETHING" phase on Sunday night and had a great idea: make this delicious treat for my family. With visions of grandeur that included bring this dessert to others' houses and hear them exclaim "Oh, my! The best thing I've ever eaten!", I set out to make this Thanksgiving dessert that tops all desserts.
And. Well. Um.
Now I bring you my Top 5 Reasons why you should not even bother to attempt to make Bobby Flay's pumpkin bread pudding this Thanksgiving:
1) The Ingredients will cost you about $50
This recipe boasts a wide variety of unique ingredients. Which, in layman's terms means there is a lot of stuff that you don't already have on hand and you have to go out and buy specifically for this recipe. We like to cook around here, and while I did have a $10 bottle of "pure maple syrup," we did not have whole vanilla beans, star anise or even apple schnapps. Ingredients that if you can even find at your local grocery store, will total about $30 for those 3 alone...add to that 2 dozen eggs, whole milk, half and half AND heavy whipping cream, ginger and a bottle of Bourbon because you decided to get all Mad Men this season and have odd 1960's drinks while watching the show every week, and you have a pretty pricey dessert in the making.
2) Time
According to the actual recipe, the thing takes 5 hours 20 minutes start to finish to make start to finish. Add in the fact that you are not a real chef and you may have to stop and yell at your kids to stop running through the kitchen 10 DIFFERENT TIMES, brings it up to 6+ hours. Yes, you can make parts of it days in advance, but then you just upped your cooking to time to days instead of hours. Quel Bore.
3) Your roasting pan may have other things going on
Now, I've never made bread pudding before, but you have to cook the dish inside a roasting pan filled with water. Now I would venture to guess, and I could be wrong, that the majority of us only have one roasting pan. And it's Thanksgiving. I'm thinking roasting pans will have more important things to cook...like the turkey? And even if you are buying your bird cooked, or you are frying it or smoking it or whatever else, I'm thinking there are other things to be 'a roasting.
4) Space, Bowls and Utensils
Now if I were a master chef with a giant kitchen, it would be different. I would be able to have things a little more under control, but this was one of those projects that took 6 different bowls, a saucepan, 2 prep areas and a burner to put together. And that was just the actual making of the bread pudding part. I'm not even talking about the making of either sauces or of the pumpkin bread itself. And really, thats just what you need on Thanksgiving - less working counter space and few more bowls to clean.
5) What if it doesn't really turn out?
Once again, this was my first attempt at a bread pudding. After someone forgot a few ingredients at the store, I ditched the making of both of the sauces, hoping the actual bread pudding would be enough of a treat. Also, I created just a smidge... I used boxed Trader Joe's pumpkin bread mix. Besides that, I followed the directions to a T. And the result? Eh. Something wasn't right. Now, the flavor was still there, and I see how it probably is mind-blowing amazing tasting, but the rest of it was just *off*.
Bobby's:
Mine:
Then again, being *off* didn't really stop me...
No matter what you bake, have a very happy Thanksgiving!!
Bobby Flay, Bread Pudding, Ree Drummond in LaLaLaLife 
Reader Comments (6)
Too funny, Beth! I made it too (I didn't see the show, but I did read about the recipe). I didn't bother following Bobby's pumpkin bread recipe because I have a great one of my own. I did make the custard but I think I left the booze out of it, and I didn't bother with the creme anglaise or any of the other toppings -- I just drizzled some heavy whipping cream on top of the warm pudding. It was a huge hit with everyone but I'm with you on the time investment! Peasant food like bread pudding doesn't need 1,000 steps.
HAHA! My MIL just told us tonight that she is making this! ha! And she can't find a store to buy a Vanilla Bean... a vanilla bean - and I live lin SoCal - not some rural out in the sticks kind of SoCal - good ole San Diego. So funny! Thanks! @OhYeah_Her
@Nancy: We actually drizzled a little caramel on top... what was your's consistency? Mine may have been too spongy.
@Maegan: Yea, we couldnt find a vanilla bean either!!!
Beth, I halved the custard recipe and somehow the consistency turned out just right. I used about half to 3/4 of my regular Bundt pan of pumpkin bread; my recipe makes a really dense bread, so that probably helped. The TJ's box mix is divine but it may be too cakelike to withstand the custard.
Despite my success with this recipe, I managed to screw up our pumpkin pie, which, I am horrified to admit, is straight off the Libby's label.
I can relate. I once attempted making Bobby's pea soup. It required a blender, and ingredients even my local grocery clerks were unaware existed.
I admire you for trying! I have had mixed results too when trying to duplicate one of Foodnetworks chefs recipes. I'm more careful now to read the reviews for real feedback and adjustments.