Restaurant Style Bread Pudding

This is one of my favorite dessert recipes. It is a very rich and elegant bread pudding that starts with homemade white bread and ends with a perfect baked custard.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• For the bread

• 3 -3 1⁄4 cups flour
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 (1/4ounce) package dry active yeast
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup warm water
• 1⁄4 cup milk
• 1  tablespoon butter

• For the custard

• 1  cup milk
• 2  cups heavy cream
• 3  eggs
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄8 teaspoon  fresh grated nutmeg
• 1  orange, zest of
• 1  tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 cup golden raisin, softened
• 1 -2  tablespoon  coarse  sugar crystals

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Add warmed milk, sugar, salt, and butter. Slowly stir in flour to form dough.
3. Knead bread dough on lightly floured surface.
4. Let rise until double.
5. Punch down dough and form into a loaf.
6. Let rise in loaf pan until double.
7. Bake 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until done.
8. Let bread cool.
9. Cut bread into 1" cubes.
10. Place cubes into a deep casserole dish.
11. Toss in the raisins.
12. In a separate bowl mix together custard ingredients. Pour over the bread and sprinkle top with coarse sugar crystals.
13. Bake 375 degrees for 60 minutes.
14. Serve warm.
15. Note: You can double the bread recipe and have an extra loaf. I often make the bread the day before. You could use a dense store bought bread but you won't get the same results.