Ingredients
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Pudding: 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted 16 cups French bread cubes, day old, lightly packed 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 Tbsp vanilla 1 tsp nutmeg 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 3 cups milk 3/4 cups golden raisins 1 cup chopped, toasted, pecans Rum Sauce: 1 cup butter or margarine 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs, beaten until frothy 1/4 to 1/2 cup dark rum Soft Cream: 2 cups whipping cream 1/3 cup icing sugar 1 Tbsp vanilla 2 Tbsp brandy 2 Tbsp Frangelico liqueur (hazelnut-flavoured liqueur) 1/4 cup sour cream
Procedure
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To Make Pudding:
Pour a small amount of the melted butter in a 9x13 pan and swirl around to cover
bottom and sides. Place bread cubes in pan. In large bowl, beat eggs and sugar
until thickened (3 - 3 1/2 minutes). Add vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and milk
plus reserved butter. Beat at low speed to combine. Stir in raisins and
pecans. pour over bread. Stir to evenly distribute rains and nuts. Allow
bread to absorb all liquid (30-45 minutes). Press bread down often to cover all
cubes. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake until crusty and golden brown (45-60
minutes). Cool to lukewarm and slice into squares.
To Make Rum Sauce:
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Put in top of a double boiler
over simmering water. Cook 20 minutes, whisking often. In a bowl, whisk 2 Tbsp
butter-sugar mixture into beaten eggs, then whisk in 2 Tbsp more. Now, whisk
egg mixture into butter-sugar mixture, cook over simmering water 4-5 minutes,
whisking constantly. Cool slightly. Whisk in rum (by now you're probably all
whisked out - taste the sauce and you'll know it was worth it! - this comment is
in the cookbook)
To Make Soft Cream:
Chill beaters and a medium-sized bowl until very cold. Beat ingredients on
medium-high until soft peaks form (3-4 minutes). Do not overbeat. Cover
tightly and refrigerate until served.
To Serve
On individual plates, place a spoonful of warm rum sauce, a square of pudding
and a large dollop of soft cream.
