This is an excellent bread pudding recipe:
BREAD PUDDING with WHISKEY SAUCE
Makes 10 3" square pieces - but they wanted more, so make x1.5 for 10 people.
9" x 9" pan (Add ingredients in parens for a 9" x 13" pan)
1 c. sugar --decrease by 1/2 c. when using coffeecake (+1/4 c.)
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened (+2 T. butter)
5 eggs, beaten, room temp (+1 egg)
1 pint (2 c.) heavy cream (+1/2 c. cream)
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 T. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract (optional)
1/2 c. raisins (optional) (+1/4 cup)
12 slices, each 1 inch thick, fresh or stale French bread
--enough to fill pan to within 1/2" - 3/4" from top
(+ a few more slices to fill pan to within 1/2" - 3/4" from top)
Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, cream, cinnamon, vanilla &
raisins. Pour into 9" square pan 1 3/4" deep. Arrange bread flat in egg
mixture and let stand, soaking, 5 minutes. Turn bread over and let stand
10 minutes longer. Push bread down, without breaking it, so most is
covered by egg mixture. Variation: put apples and brown sugar on top.
Set pan in larger pan filled with water to 1/2" from top. Cover with
foil. Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 F, uncovering for last 10 minutes to brown
top.
WHISKEY SAUCE: - Don't double, this is more than enough for 9 x 13 pan.
1 c. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
1 cinnamon stick or dash of ground cinnamon
1 T. unsalted butter
1/2 t. cornstarch
1 T. bourbon or other whiskey
1/4 c. water
In pan, combine sugar, cream, cinnamon & butter. Boil. Mix cornstarch
with 1/4 c. Water and add. Cook, stirring, until sauce is clear. Remove
from heat and stir in whiskey. Serve over bread pudding.