Bread Pudding I and 2

Beat eggs well; add sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and butter. Beat for a couple of minutes on high, then add milk and cream, then raisins.

Fill greased loaf tin with bread cubes and cover with liquid. Let sit a while (30 minutes or so) and add more liquid when the bread has soaked up the first batch.

Using a water bath, place pudding in a 350 degree oven and lower temperature immediately to 300 degrees and bake about 45 minutes. Raise temperature to 425 degrees to brown top - about 15 more minutes.

I like it served cold with heavy cream or custard sauce (Cream Anglais).

-Kate

Fast Alternative: (No water bath, uses a shallow pan, cooks nicely.)

Bread Pudding II

Ingredients:

6 slices day-old bread

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

4 eggs, beaten

Directions:

2 cups milk**

3/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes**, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Notes: Every time I make this, there is not enough liquid, so I add at least a cup of milk with cream. Also, takes about 55 minutes in my oven.

–Allrecipes.com recipe contributed by ellenmarie