RAISIN BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON SAUCE

Hi All!  I hope you're doing well.  If the fall weather is making you feel a bit nostalgic and you're longing for some comfort food, I've got the perfect dessert for you.  How about a classic Raisin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce?  Hmm....my taste buds are dancing already.

As usual, I'll share with you my inspiration for this dessert.  A few months ago, a friend and I attended a dinner and movie gathering at J. Simpkins Gallery in Trussville, Alabama.  For dessert, they served Raisin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  I had never thought about making bread pudding but it was very good so I asked the chef if he would be willing to share his recipe for my blog.  Although he said that he would email it to me, I never received it.  (I'm hoping it just slipped his mind.  Or perhaps he was afraid that I could duplicate it and make it better which is always a possibility:-)  Whatever the reason, I am not one to be outdone.  I began searching for a recipe that I could try and so far, the one offered by McCormick Spices is my favorite.

Special Notes:  The McCormick bread pudding recipe is actually for an Apple-Raisin Bread Pudding but I omitted the apples and added white chocolate and a homemade bourbon sauce (not pictured) to mine.  Also, I cut my recipe in half because I didn't need a whole 11x17" inch pan of it but if you want to try the original version, here is the link: http://mccormick.com/Recipes/Desserts/Apple-Raisin-Bread-Pudding.aspx

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cups whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups French or Italian bread cubes

1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup white chocolate

Bourbon Sauce (not pictured)

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2-3 tablespoons Kentucky Bourbon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in large bowl until well blended.

2. Stir in bread cubes and raisins. Spread evenly in greased baking dish.

In this picture, I added white chocolate medallions to my batter.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Directions for the Bourbon Sauce:
1.  Combine butter and sugar in a small saucepan; cook over medium, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves.

2.  Remove from heat and stir in bourbon