Authentic New Orleans Bread Pudding

This is an authentic New Orleans Bread Pudding, originally from the Bon Ton Cafe in New Orleans. The original calls for a whole cup of bourbon which I think is a little excessive. We’ve reduced the amount to 1/2 cup which is still strong. You could reduce it further to 1/4 cup if you wanted. The ingredients are: Bread Pudding: 1 loaf French bread, at least a day old, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6-7 cups) 1 qt milk 3 eggs (large) 2 cups sugar 2 Tbsp vanilla extract 1 cup raisins (soaked an hour or two in 1/4 cup bourbon) 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted Bourbon Sauce: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1/2 cup Kentucky bourbon whiskey (less or more to taste) If you want a non-alcoholic version, use 1/2 cup of water mixed with 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and 2 Tbsp of cider or white vinegar in place of the bourbon called for in the sauce recipe. Get the full printable recipe here: