Fat Tuesday Bourbon Bread Pudding

In celebration of Fat Tueday and all things Mardi Gras, I decided to forego the king cake and dive right in with bourbon bread pudding.  It followed the jambalaya we had for dinner nicely and no one missed the king cake once they tasted the bourbon sauce.

Bourbon Bread Pudding
Serves 8 to 10

• 2 French baguette, torn into 1-inch pieces and toasted
• 1 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup bourbon, divided
• 6 tablespoons butter, cubed and chilled, plus extra for dish
• 8 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Bourbon Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Butter 13 by 9-inch baking dish, and set aside.
2. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp and brown, about 12 minutes, turning pieces over halfway through and rotating the baking sheet front to back. Let bread cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
3. Meanwhile, heat raisins and 1/2 cup bourbon in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until bourbon begins to simmer, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the mixture, placing the bourbon and raisins in separate bowls.
4. In a large bowl, whisk yolks, brown sugar, cream, milk, vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup bourbon plus the bourbon used to plump the raisins. Toss in the toasted bread until evenly coated. Let mixture sit until bread begins to absorb custard, about 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. If the majority of the bread is still hard when squeezed, soak for another 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Pour half the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with half the raisins. Repeat with the remaining bread mixture and raisins. Cover the dish with foil, and bake for 45 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, mix granulated sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Using your fingers, pinch 6 tablespoons butter into sugar mixture until the crumbs are the size of small peas. Remove foil from pudding, sprinkle with butter mixture, and bake, uncovered, until custard is just set, 20 to 25 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F and bake until top of pudding forms golden crust, about 2 minutes.
7. Let the pudding cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours). Serve alone or with Bourbon Sauce.

Bourbon Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup bourbon, divided
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons butter, cut into small pieces

1. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and 2 tablespoons bourbon until well combined.
2. Using a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in cornstarch mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook until sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Take the pan off the heat, and stir in salt, butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons bourbon.
4. Drizzle warm sauce over bread pudding.