15ounces(5 to 6 cups) day-old brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes (see notes)
2cups(480 ml) whole milk
2tablespoonsunsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
⅓cup(66 g) granulated sugar
¾teaspoonground cinnamon
¼teaspoonsalt
4large eggs, beaten
Whiskey Sauce
6Tablespoons(85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2Tablespoonsheavy cream, or Irish cream
¾cup(150 g) packed brown sugar
Reserved Irish whiskey from soaking raisins
Instructions
Bread Pudding
In a small bowl, add raisins and whiskey. Let sit for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the whiskey.
Grease a 2-quart ceramic/stoneware baking dish with butter. Place bread cubes in pan and gently press down to fill any big gaps. I like to turn some of the top pieces up so the crust is seen for contrast.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together milk, butter, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stirring frequently, cook until hot (not boiling) and the butter is melted. The mixture is done when the milk is starting to simmer at the edges. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Once the mixture has cooled a bit, but is still warm, add the eggs. Whisk continuously while adding the eggs so they don’t scramble. Stir in the whiskey-soaked raisins.
Pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes making sure that all the top pieces are soaked. Push down the cubes so there aren’t any gaps below. Set aside for 45 minutes so the bread soaks up the custard. If soaking longer than an hour, cover and store in the refrigerator (see notes).
Preheat oven to 350℉. Bake the bread pudding for 40 to 45 minutes or until the custard is set, but jiggly in the center, and the top is golden brown. Keep an eye on it while baking. If it's browning too quickly, set a piece of aluminum foil over the top to prevent any burning for the remaining baking time.
Irish Whiskey Sauce
While the bread pudding bakes, make the whiskey sauce. Brown the butter over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally and scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent burning. The butter will get foamy.
Once the butter has a nutty aroma, add the brown sugar, whiskey and heavy cream. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat to cool slightly.
Pour sauce over bread pudding and serve warm.
Notes
Fresh bread: Cut it into cubes, place it on a baking sheet and bake at 250℉ for 10 minutes. This will help dry it out.Milk: Whole, low-fat or skim works well. Whole milk yields a richer bread pudding.Nonalcoholic: Soak the raisins in orange juice or apple juice. For the sauce, omit the whiskey and increase heavy cream to 1/3 cup. Add 1 Tablespoon vanilla.Make ahead and assemble the bread pudding. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Uncover and bake according to recipe.