Mimi’s Cafe Bread Pudding and Whisky Sauce
Bread Pudding:
1 loaf French bread (cut into 1" cubes)
1/2 cup Raisins (soak 1/2 hour in warm water and drain)
1 pinch Nutmeg
1/4 pound Butter (melted)
1/4 cup Sugar
2 teaspoon Vanilla
1 quart. Half & Half
4 Eggs (beaten)
Whiskey Sauce:
1/2 pound Butter
2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Whiskey
4 eggs (beaten in a small bowl with
the whiskey)
Fill a 9"x 9"x 2-½" baking pan with the bread cubes and sprinkle the raisins
on top. (Use enough bread to come to the top of the pan. You might not use
the whole loaf).
Whisk the remaining ingredients together to make a batter, pour over the top
of the bread and stir lightly. Allow the bread to soak ½ hour. The pan will
be very full. If you have too much batter, discard the excess. If there’s
not enough, add a little more milk to the pan.
Bake in a 325° oven for about 40 minutes, until the pudding is golden brown
and puffed up around the edges. The center should be “set” but still a
little soft. You can make this ahead of time and heat it in the microwave
oven later.
Whisky Sauce:
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and stir well.
Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then quickly whisk in the beaten eggs
and whiskey.
Put the sauce back on the stove over low heat and whisk constantly until the sauce has thickened slightly. (If it’s overcooked, the sauce will curdle).
Keep the sauce warm until serving. If you like, you can serve the bread
pudding with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a scoop of your favorite ice
cream.
NOTE: This sauce contains egg yolks, which can carry salmonella bacteria if
not fully cooked. As with other foods like beef tartar, Caesar salad, or
eggs cooked “sunny side up,” caution is advised when eating raw or lightly
cooked eggs.