Chef Rick’s New Orleans Style Bread Pudding

• 1 loaf French bread , broken into very small pieces (about 6 cups)
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 8 eggs.\, beaten
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.; grease bottom and sides of a 9-x13-inch baking dish.
2. In a 4-quart mixing bowl using a wire whisk, beat eggs thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients, and using a kitchen spoon or rubber spatula, stir until bread is completely moistened.
3. Pour into prepared baking dishBake until top is golden brown and springs back when touched, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve warm with bourbon sauce.

Bourbon Sauce

• 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 ounces bourbon

1. In a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add sugar and cream and whisk until blended. Add asmall amount of the mixture to the beaten egg to temper it, then add the egg and whisk for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add bourbon. Return to heat and whisk until sauce is of desired consistency.
2. Spoon sauce over pudding in bowls and serve warm with whipped cream or good quality vanilla ice cream if desired.

Original recipe on Chef Rick’s site. Republished here for record’s sake. http://www.chefrick.com/new-orleans-style-bread-pudding/