3 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground/grated nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted melted butter
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/2 cup raisins
5 - 6 cups coarsely chopped stale good quality french bread
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