Peachy Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

The Step Dad was watching the Today show the other day, and Paula Dean was on making a rice pudding. Well he proceeded to go on line and found about 5 of her various recipes for Rice pudding and Bread pudding. He is quite the bread pudding lover and we found one to try. It was the "N'awlins bread pudding with bourbon sauce". I changed 2 things .. thus the title of this post. I chose to use Chalah bread and add peaches. I am going to post the recipe with the ingredients and my changes after words. It was amazing! I mean.. seriously amazing. Mom and I have never really had bread pudding, and it never really looked appetizing, but this.. just the smell was tempting.. and really no words can explain how wonderful this bread pudding is. And a small scoop of vanilla ice cream sends it beyond over the top!!

Paula Deans N'awlins bread pudding with bourbon sauce:

• 1 (16-ounce) loaf french bread ( I used Chalah bread)
• 3 cups sugar, divided
• 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• 1/2 cup raisins
• (I add 2 halved, pitted, chopped peaches. cut into slices, cut slices in half)
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened and divided
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 1/3 cup bourbon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tear bread into small pieces; arrange in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Cover loosely with a paper towel, and allow to stand at room temperature several hours or until bread is stale and dry. (or to speed up process, place bread on a baking sheet, and bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes or until bread is dry)
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups sugar, eggs, half-and-half and 2 teaspoons vanilla; pour over bread in baking dish. Sprinkle raisins on top ( Add chopped peaches to the top); press top of the mixture with the back of a spoon to make sure all bread is covered with egg mixture. Let stand for 20 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, 1/4-cup butter and pecans; sprinkle over top of bread mixture. Bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
In a medium saucepan, whisk remaining 1 cup sugar and remaining ½-cup softened butter over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, stirring until combined. Add bourbon, stirring until smooth. Pour over warm bread pudding.

Serving Size

Makes 15 servings

We all agreed it was truly dangerous to make the whole pan for just 3 people, we have been giving it away so that we do not eat it, it is seriously that amazingly good!!!! ( I am plotting to make it for Thanksgiving! )