pat's Recipe

Old Fashioned Bread Pudding

Category: Puddings

1 1/2 cups dried fruit, such as raisins,
snipped dried apricots
1/3 cup dark rum
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp sugar
5 beaten eggs
5 cups milk
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup vanilla
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp salt
8 cups very firmly packed 1/2-3/4-inch
French bread cubes, dried

In a small, covered bowl soak the dried fruit in the rum for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Coat the insides of eight 8-oz ramekins or 10-ounce custard cups with butter, then coat with the 1 Tbsp of sugar, shaking out any excess; set aside.
In a very large bowl combine eggs, milk, 1 1/3 cups sugar, vanilla, allspice, and salt. Add dry bread cubes and dried fruit mixture to milk mixture; stir gently.
Divide bread mixture evenly among prepared ramekins. Place filled rameins in a large shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean and tops are lightly browned and puffed. Remove from oven.
Cool on wire rack 3-5 minutes. Run knife around edges. Invert each into a dessert dish; invert again. Spoon a small abount of Fresh cranberry sauce and Rum Cream Sauce over puddings.

makes 8 servings