Butterscotch Pear Bread Pudding

I found this in a magazine years ago. I love bread pudding and never would have thought to put in pears, but this is really very good.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 dessert

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 2  eggs
• 1  egg yolk
• 3  cups  whole milk
• 1  cup  whipping cream
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 1  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 8  cups  bread (cubed, Italian works well, you want a dense bread)
• 3  ripe bartlett pears, peeled and cubed
• 1  tablespoon  melted butter
• 1  tablespoon sugar

• Butterscotch Sauce

• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 2⁄3 cup brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon water
• 1⁄3 cup light corn syrup
• 3  tablespoons  whipping cream

Directions

1. Cook brown sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly for 2-3 minuets until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. In a bowl, whisk eggs, yolk, milk, cream, vanilla and nutmeg. Whisk in brown sugar until smooth.
3. Add 6 cups of the bread, press down and let stand for 30 minuets.
4. Heat oven to 325. Butter 3 qt baking dish.
5. Pour half of the bread mixture into dish. Arrange pears over mixture and pour the remaining bread mixture over pears.
6. Top with remaining 2 cups of bread, pressing down to slightly moisten.
7. Brush bread cubes with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is set.
9. Cool for 30 minuets while making sauce:.
10. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat.
11. Add brown sugar, water and corn syrup, bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes whisking occasionally.
12. Remove from heat, whisk in cream.
13. Serve warm over bread pudding.