Flaming Bourbon Bread Pudding

I made Bourbon Bread Pudding last night.  I wanted to do something special for the anniversary of two of our best friends.  I managed to not burn the house down!  The pudding was absolutely amazing.  It nearly put us all in a sugar coma, but it was worth the risk.  Try it!  It is some seriously good eating.

Flaming Bourbon Bread Pudding

Ingredients for Bread Pudding

1 loaf day old French bread, cut into small squares

About a quart of milk

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups of sugar

2 tbsp of vanilla

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

3 tbsp of butter, melted

1 cup of raisins, soak in Jim Beam overnight

¼ cup of chopped pecans

Ingredients for Bourbon Sauce

½ stick of butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup of sugar

½ cup Jim Beam plus 2 shots to flame

Preparation

The night before you want to make your bread pudding, pour Jim Beam over your cup of raisins and let soak overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut French bread up in small squares and place in a large mixing bowl.  Pour milk in the bowl with the bread.  Press with your hands until well mixed and leave for about 10 minutes or until milk is mostly absorbed.  In a different bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg together.  Gently stir into the bread mixture.  Gently stir in the raisins and the pecans.

With a pastry brush, coat well with butter on the bottom and sides of your ramekins.  Spoon out bread mixture into ramekins and bake for 35-45 minutes, until set.  The pudding is done when the edges brown and pull away from the sides.

While pudding is baking make your bourbon sauce.  In a saucepan, melt butter then add sugar and egg, whisking until well blended.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens.  Whisk in bourbon and remove from heat.  Pour over the pudding when it is done baking.

As the bread pudding cools slightly, hit a clean saucepan on the oven.  Once it is fairly warm pour in two shots of Jim Beam.  Allow to warm for just a bit.  Remove from heat, dim the lights and light the Jim Beam (have the sauce pan lid close by to put out the fire when you are finished).  Spoon out the flaming Jim Bean and pour over your bread pudding to add an extra bit of drama and taste to the dish.