French Bread Pudding

[Mai]

French Bread Pudding

1 generous cup raisins
1 tablespoon cognac
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 baguette, sliced thin crosswise
1 quart whole milk
4 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 tsp nutmeg

Cover raisins with 1 cup water in nonstick pot. Add cognac. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover for 5 minutes. Drain water and sprinkle raisins with Grand Marnier. Set aside.

Generously butter sliced bread on 1 side. Put raisins in bottom of 2-inch-tall overproof dish. Warm milk, but do not boil it.

While milk is warming, mix eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt and nutmeg. Slowly pour warm milk into egg mixture. Blend well. Slowly pour mixture on top of raisins. Top the dish with bread, buttered side up. The bread will absorb the liquid and form a nice crust. Bake at 350º for 1 hour.

8 servings