New Orleans Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Ingredients

• Pudding:
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash of salt
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed French bread (about 8 ounces)
• Cooking spray
• Sauce:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup bourbon

Preparation

1. To prepare pudding, combine raisins and 2 tablespoons bourbon in a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain mixture in a sieve over a bowl, reserving liquid.
2. Combine reserved liquid, milk, and next 6 ingredients (milk through eggs) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add bread, tossing gently to coat. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with raisins, pressing gently into bread mixture. Cover with foil; chill 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. Place dish in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake, covered, at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
5. To prepare sauce, combine 1/2 cup sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup bourbon. Serve each bread pudding piece warm with about 1 tablespoon sauce.