Bread Pudding With Berries

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 12-inch round, oven-proof pan or a 3-quart baking dish.
• Combine the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla bean in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
• Stir to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat, cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow to steep for 15 minutes (if using vanilla extract you don'tt have to steep the mixture). Remove the vanilla pod, scraping all of the remaining seeds into the milk.
• Meanwhile, spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Toast until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and arrange in the baking dish in an even layer.
• Beat the eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl. Bring the milk mixture back to a simmer and remove from the heat. Making sure that the mixture is not simmering, whisk 1/2 cup into the egg yolks.
• Combine well, then whisk the tempered eggs back into the milk mixture. Scrape in all of the egg mixture with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the custard mixture over the bread and let sit for 5 minutes. Gently press the bread down into the custard mixture. Top with the berries.
• Place the baking dish in a roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
• Bake 45 minutes, until set and the top is just beginning to color.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.