Recipe: Amaretto Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce

AMARETTO BREAD PUDDING

1 lb French bread, cut in pieces
1 quart half and half
2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tbsp almond extract
3/4 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup sliced almonds
Amaretto sauce (recipe follows)

Combine bread and half and half in large bowl. Cover bowl and let stand 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9x13x2 inch baking dish with 2 tbsp butter.

Whisk sugar, eggs and almond extract. Stir into bread mixture. Gently fold in raisins and almonds. Spread evenly in prepared baking dish.

Bake until pudding is firm, about 50 minutes. let cool. Do not refrigerate before serving.

To serve, cut pudding into 12 to 15 pieces. Spoon Amaretto sauce over and serve immediately.

AMARETTO SAUCE

1 cup powdered sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg, well beaten (pasteurized or Egg Beaters)
4 tbsp amaretto Liqueur

Stir the sugar and butter on top of double boiler, set over simmering water, until butter melts, sugar dissolves and mixture is very hot. Remove from over water and whisk in the egg. Continue whisking until cooled to room temperature. Mix in the Amaretto.