Eggnog Bread Pudding

PUDDING
3 lg Eggs
1 lg Egg yolk
3/4 c Sugar
4 tb Unsalted butter; melted
1 3/4 c Half-and-half
3 tb Brandy
2 tb Pure vanilla extract
3/4 ts Freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 ts Salt
6 sl Dry cinnamon raisin bread
– quartered

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F 15 minutes before baking, with the rack in the
center of the oven. Butter a 6-cup souffle dish. Have a kettle of
boiling water ready and a baking pan large enough to hold the souffle
dish. Whisk the eggs, egg yolk and sugar until light. Mix in the
butter, the half-and-half, brandy, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Place
the bread in the souffle dish and pour the custard over it. Press the
bread into the custard so it gets well soaked. Let rest 20 minutes.
Put the souffle dish in the baking pan and place on the oven rack.
Pour boiling water into the baking pan so it comes halfway up the
sides of the souffle dish. Bake until the custard is softly set in
the center, about 1 hour. Remove from the water bath. Serve warm or
at room temperature with Cranberry-Maple Sauce. Once cooled, the
pudding can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover with
aluminum foil with several slits in it. Bake in a preheated 350F oven
for 20 minutes. Serve warm, or at room temperature with
Cranberry-Maple Sauce. CRANBERRY-MAPLE SAUCE: Bring the maple syrup
and sugar to a boil in a small non-aluminum pan, then cook for 3
minutes. Add the cranberries and cook until their skins burst and
they begin to pop, 6 to 8 minutes, or slightly longer if they are
frozen. Cut the butter into 3 pieces. Remove the pan from the heat
and whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time, waiting until each is
incorporated before adding another. Add the bourbon. Sauce can be
served immediately or refrigerated for up to a week. Reheat gently
and thin with 2 to 3 tablespoons water before serving.

Yields
8 Servings