If Carola and Hal agree on little else, they do agree that a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top of this dessert – or some vanilla sauce – makes this one of the best desserts they have ever eaten.
1/2 cup raisins or dried sweetened cranberries
1 1/4 cups milk
12 ozs. bread (approximately 8 slices)
1/2 cup sugar, white or brown
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
Butter
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Soak the fruit in the milk for a half hour. Butter the bread, cut into small cubes, and place them in a buttered casserole dish. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the milk and fruit. Pour the milk mixture over the bread. Stir so the fruit is evenly distributed. Push the bread down into the milk so that it all gets soaked. Dot lightly with butter. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in a water bath (one inch of water in a pan larger than the one in which you have placed the pudding) until a knife inserted one-inch from the edge comes out clean—30 to 40 minutes. Be careful to not splash the very hot water on your skin as you’re taking this out of the oven. Eat warm or cold with vanilla sauce.
VANILLA SAUCE
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. water
1large egg
1cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt butter over low heat. As soon as it melts, remove it from the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Mix the water and egg in small bowl. Stir the egg mixture into the butter until blended. Stir in the sugar. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved. When the mixture reaches the boil, remove it from the heat. Stir in the vanilla. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
