This is a variation of bread pudding that features whole slices of french bread.  This type of bread pudding can usually be found on the dessert menu at the famous Commander’s Palace restaurant in New Orleans.  As with a lot of New Orleans cooking, it’s hard to find much in here that’s good for you, but cher-babay, it’s some kind of good. – Michael Daigle

Pudding
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 to ½ cup raisins
• A dozen or so 1 inch thick slices of French bread

Rum Sauce (Optional)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon rum, light or dark

Pudding
Mix the sugar and butter together. Add all other ingredients except the bread slices. Pour mixture into a casserole dish. Fill the dish with the bread slices (lay them in a single layer).

Let the bread soak up the mixture for 5-7 minutes, then flip them and continue to soak (don’t rush the soaking – should take 10-15 minutes total). When flipping the bread slices, be careful not to break them.

Put the dish inside another slightly larger dish that’s about halfway filled with water. Cover both dishes with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, then remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes to brown the top of the bread a little.

For each serving, put a bread slice and some of the liquid on a saucer, then prepare to say “mmm” loud enough to drown the sound of your arteries hardening. It’s so good.

Rum Sauce
Bring sugar, water, cinnamon and butter to a boil in a medium sauce pan, then stir in cornstarch and another ¼ cup water. Simmer until the sauce becomes clear. Let cool a little bit, then add rum and stir.

Tips
• I really like cinnamon, so I tend to add a little more.
• Feel free to use stale bread – it’ll get really wet.
• As for the rum – light or dark, your choice. And ain’t nobody gonna know if you add a smidgen more than a tablespoon.