New Orleans Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce, Bread Pudding Recipe, Pudding Recipes

New Orleans Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

This recipe is from my first cookbook called What's Cooking America. This wonderful bread pudding always brings back memories of my visits to New Orleans.

Check out all of Linda's Puddings, Creams, and Custard Recipes.

New Orleans Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

1 large loaf French bread
4 cups milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup raisins
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Bourbon Sauce (see recipe below)

Tear or cut French bread into 1-inch pieces (about 6 to 7 cups); place in a large bowl. Add milk and let bread pieces soak; crush with your hands until well mixed. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, allspice, and cinnamon until smooth; stir in raisins. Stir into the bread/milk mixture. Let the mixture sit for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. When ready to bake, pour melted butter into a 13x9-inch baking pan or dish. Coat the bottom and the sides of the pan well with the butter. Pour bread pudding mixture into prepared pan or dish. Bake, uncovered, approximately 45 to 50 minutes, until set in the center, and the edges start getting a bit brown and pull away from the edge of the pan. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

To serve, cut into squares and put into individual serving dishes. Serve with warm Bourbon Sauce. NOTE: Best fresh and eaten the day it is made.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Bourbon Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons bourbon (whiskey) or to your taste

In a medium-size saucepan over low heat, melt butter; add sugar and beaten egg, whisking to blend well. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in bourbon to taste; let cool. Whisk and reheat before serving. The sauce should be soft, creamy, and smooth.