Bread Pudding with Irish Cream Sauce
Pudding:
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 2/3 cups 2% milk
2 tsps vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
9 cups (1/2 inch) cubed french bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup chopped pitted dates
1/4 cup golden raisins
Sauce:
2 TBSP brown sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 TBSP Baileys Irish Cream
1. To prepare pudding, combine 2/3 cup sugar and eggs in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Heat 2 2/3 cup milk, vanilla, and cinnamon in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat to 180* or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan; cook over low heat 6 minuntes or until mixture coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Combine bread, dates and raisins in a large bowl. Pour milk mixture over breat mixture; toss well to coat. Spoon bread mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or up to overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350*
3. Place baking dish in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake, covered, at 350* for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
4. To prepare sauce, combine 2 tbsp sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Heat 1/2 cup milk in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat to 180* or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot milk to egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Place milk mixture in pan; cook over low heat 6 minutes or until mixture coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; stir in liqueur. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl 5 minutes or umtil sauce cools to room temperture, stirring contantly. Serve sauce over warm pudding. Yield 9 servings (serving size: 1 bread pudding piece and about 1 1/2 tbsp sauce).
