Bread Pudding with Cherries and Bourbon Cream Sauce

SERVES 6-8

A classic, crowd-pleasing dessert, this bread pudding is embellished with cherries and a decadent bourbon cream sauce. Hands-down, this is a favorite way to transform bread into a custardy sweet ending. A perfect way to celebrate the season!

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" x 13" (or equivalent) casserole dish with butter.
2. In a small bowl, soak the cherries in the bourbon for 30 minutes.
3. Cube the bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread on a sheet pan and bake for about 12 minutes until the bread is lightly toasted. Place the toasted bread into the greased casserole dish.
4. In a bowl, prepare the custard mixture. Melt the butter and then whisk in the brown sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, half and half, whole milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
5. Pour the custard mix over the cubed bread,cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour, or until the bread has soaked up all of the liquid. Once the pudding is ready to bake, pour the bourbon-soaked cherries over the soaked bread. Tip: Ensure all cubes are well-soaked with custard while resting in the refrigerator. Gently stir or mix if, needed.
6. Bake the bread pudding for 45-50 minutes or until the pudding is set in the center.

While the pudding bread bakes, prepare the Bourbon Cream Sauce.

1. In a saucepan, warm the cream, vanilla, and sugar until it begins to simmer. Whisk the cornstarch into the bourbon, and then add it to the sauce. Heat on a low simmer until the sauce is thickened slightly.
2. As the final step, stir the butter in until melted.
3. Serve the bread pudding with the sauce by pouring one cup (or about half) of the sauce over the whole batch of freshly baked bread pudding, and then serve the remaining sauce on the side for those who are looking for an extra drizzle of sweetness!

INGREDIENTS

Bread Pudding:

1/2 cup dried cherries, soaked in 2 tablespoons of bourbon

6 cups bread cubes (8 thick slices or 1 loaf French bread), one or two day old bread works best!

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

Bourbon Cream Sauce:

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup bourbon

1 tablespoon butter