Date Bread and Butter Pudding With Easy Boozy Toffee Sauce

From Family Circle magazine

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons butter, softened plus extra for greasing
• 10  slices  white bread, crusts removed (good quality bread)
• 1  cup pitted dates, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 cups  cream
• 2⁄3 cup milk
• 3  eggs
• 1⁄3 cup  superfine sugar, plus 2 T
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  tablespoon light brown sugar, for sprinkling
•  whipped cream

• Toffee Sauce

• 8  tablespoons butter
• 1 1⁄4 cups light brown sugar
• 1  cup  cream
• 1⁄4 cup brandy
• 1⁄4 cup sweet sherry

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease an 8-inch square ovenproof baking dish.
3. Butter all bread slices.
4. Set aside 4 bread slices and cut remaining 6 in half to make triangles.
5. Place the 4 whole slices, buttered sides up, in dish.
6. Sprinkle chopped dates over top.
7. Arrange bread triangles, buttered sides up, on top to cover dates.
8. Heat cream and milk in a saucepan, bringing almost to a boil.
9. Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla in a heatproof bowl, then pour the hot milk/cream combo on top, whisking as you go, to make a custard.
10. Pour over bread and let soak for 20 minutes.
11. Sprinkle brown sugar over bread.
12. Place baking dish in a large roasting pan and carefully pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up side of dish.
13. Bake 50-60 minutes or until golden and center is just set.
14. For toffee sauce:
15. Place butter, sugar and cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring throughout.
16. Boil 4 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
17. Remove pan from heat, let cool 1 minute, then add brandy and sherry.
18. Makes 1 3/4 cups sauce.
19. Serve bread with toffee sauce and whipped cream.
20. Note: Bread pudding can be made a day ahead, then reheated for about 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven until hot in center.