IRISH BREAD PUDDING WITH WHISKY SAUCE

FOR THE BREAD PUDDING:
6 ounces butter, melted
1 lb white bread, cubed
1 quart milk
1 cup heavy cream
8 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
FOR THE WHISKEY SAUCE:*
1 lb (2 cups) butter
2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten
1/3 cup Irish whiskey

Place rack in the center of oven. Preheat oven to 350. Line a large, deep roasting pan with dish towels. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.

Drizzle the melted butter over bread cubes and place them in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

Scald the milk and cream.

Mix together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the hot milk and cream. Pour this custard over the bread cubes. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and nutmeg (go easy on the nutmeg).

Place baking pan in roasting pan and set on oven rack. Pour boiling water into roasting pan until it comes at least halfway up the sides of the baking pan.

Bake in a water bath until set, about 40 minutes.

Serve warm with whisky sauce.

*You'll only need 1/2 the recipe for the Whiskey Sauce, or make only 1/2 the recipe for the bread pudding.

TO PREPARE THE WHISKEY SAUCE:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When bubbling, whisk in sugar but do not bring to boil.

When the sugar is melted, slowly whisk the yolks into the sugar mixture. Remove from heat. Slowly whisk in the whisky. Drizzle over bread pudding.

Here's another recipe from the newsletter I receive. A different version of bread pudding. This one I will also make for St. Paddy's Day!