Bread Pudding with Warm Bourbon Sauce (Viking River)

½ C raisins

3 T bourbon

6 lg eggs

1½ C light brown sugar

3 C heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1 lb day-old French bread, broken into 1-inch cubes

6 oz butter, melted

3 T butter

¼ C light brown sugar

1 C heavy cream

¼ C Steen’s cane syrup

3 T bourbon

In a pan over low heat, warm raisins in bourbon for 5 minutes; remove from heat; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar, then whisk in cream, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Place bread cubes in egg and cream mixture, press down lightly, stir gently, cover and let stand in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350˚F (176°C); grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.

Remove bread mixture from refrigerator; add raisin bourbon mixture and half of butter, stirring gently.

Place in baking dish and bake 35-45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Brush top with remaining butter.

Serve warm with warm sauce.

Melt butter in a small saucepan; whisk in sugar until incorporated, then add cream and cook 3-5 minutes until thickened. Blend in cane syrup and bourbon.