Mmmm... pudding...

I just made the easiest bread pudding ever... then it turned out it was also among the best I'd ever tasted... can't let that recipe go unshared! Would be a great one to bring to potlucks...




BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON SAUCE

1 loaf French bread
1 quart milk (I won't admit how long it took me to figure out that's 4 cups)
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins
3 tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk the eggs into milk. Tear bread into chunks (yeah... I cut it... no time for tearing) and soak in milk & egg mixture. Crush with hands to make sure milk has soaked through. Add sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, raisins (I didn't put in the raisins). Stir well.

Pour melted butter into a heavy 9x14 baking pan to coat the bottom and sides. Add the bread mixture (I sprinkled some more cinnamon on top here). Let it set for about 10-20 minutes.

Bake until firm, about 40 minutes.

The recipe here has nonsense about cooling, then cutting into individual portions, pouring on sauce, then reheating under broiler if desired.... Blah, blah, blah... Dump the whole thing of sauce onto the pan of bread pudding and eat it while it's still warm... yummers. But is still good when it's cooled.

Bourbon Sauce

1 cup sugar
1 stick butter (for real butter here folks... don't even think the M word)
1 egg beaten
2 oz bourbon (or other whiskey... I've also been told SoCo or Rum works well... I couldn't have been happier with my Maker's Mark)

Cream butter & sugar and cook until very hot (don't boil) and well-dissolved. Add well-beaten egg very slowly and whip very fast (this is easier with 1 person pouring very slowly & other person whisking too avoid the egg drop soup effect). Remove from heat and add liquor. Pour it over the bread pudding... mmmmmm....

And I have word that you can make it richer by using half and half or adding an extra egg, or add different fruits & nuts... but I needed nothing more than this...

LOVE IT!