Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

2 T. unsalted butter, softened
4 cups fat-free milk
9 cups French bread, cut into 1/2 ” cubes and dried
2 cups sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 t. vanilla
4 egg whites
1 egg
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread soft butter onto bottom and sides of a 9″ by 13″ inch baking dish. (Optional, you can also just spray the pan with nonstick spray.)

Heat milk in a saucepan until about 180 degrees, or until tiny bubbles form on the edge. Do not boil.

Place dried bread cubes into a large bowl and pour hot milk over bread.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, egg whites and egg .

Slowly add this to the bread and milk mixture, stirring as you pour it in. Stir in raisins.

Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle pecans on top. Place dish into a large roasting pan and add hot water to the larger pan to a depth of about 1/2 inch.

Bake for 50 minutes or until browned and set.


Bourbon Sauce

3/4 cup sugar
6 T. butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup bourbon

Combine sugar, butter and egg in a small saucepan over low heat.

Cook 4 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 165 degrees and mixture is thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in bourbon.