Irish Cream Bread Pudding with a Saucy Creme Anglaise

A recipe from Jeanne Benedict's Sophisticated Entertaining. Doughnuts, croissants, muffins, I've seen all of these baked goods in various chefs' prized bread pudding recipes. I fell in love with the classic rendition of this dessert smothered in Creme Anglaise. The Irish touch is a loving tribute to my mother and our saucy heritage.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 - 1-inch thick slices of 1 day old French bread

1 Cup milk

3 large eggs

1/4 Cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1/3 Cup Baileys Original Irish Cream

1/4 Teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 Cup raisins

1/4 Cup golden raisins

Creme Anglaise

4 large egg yolks

1/3 Cup granulated sugar

1 Cup milk

1 Tablespoon Bailey's Original Irish Cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 (165C). Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes leaving crusts intact.

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until just boiling.

Beat eggs and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl until thick and pale yellow. Slowly add hot milk while beating until combined. Beat in Baileys, nutmeg, and cinnamon until blended. Fold in bread cubes and raisins and toss until ingredients are coated. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over top. Bake for 45 minutes until top is golden brown and custard is set.

Meanwhile make Creme Anglaise: Beat egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until thick and pale yellow. Heat milk over medium-low heat in a small saucepan until just boiling. Remove from heat slowly pour milk into egg mixture while beating until blended. Return mixture to saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon. Mixture must not come to a boil at any point. Remove from heat and pour mixture through a strainer into a medium bowl and stir in Baileys. Cool completely.

Remove pudding from oven and cool 5 minutes. Cut into 3-inch squares. Place squares on individual plates and pour a generous helping of Creme Anglaise over top. Serve warm.

Makes 4 to 6 servings