New Orleans Bread Pudding With Lemon Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups milk
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped and roasted
5 cups bread cubes, very stale French bread
1 lemon, cut in half
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on high until extremely frothy, about 3 minutes (or for about 6 minutes with a metal whisk).
Add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and butter and beat on high speed until well blended.
Beat in the milk. Stir in the raisins and pecans.
Put the bread cubes in a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.
Pour the egg mixture over the cubes and toss until the bread is soaked.
Let sit about 45 minutes, patting the bread down into the liquid occasionally.
Put in a 350* oven. Immediately lower the heat to 300* and bake 40 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425* and bake 15-20 minutes more, or until pudding is well browned and puffy.
To serve, put 1 1/2 Tbs lemon sauce in each dessert dish, then spoon in 1/2 cup bread pudding. Top with 1/4 cup whipped cream.
Lemon Sauce (makes about 3/4 cup).
Squeeze the juice from the lemon halves into a 1 qt saucepan; add the lemon rinds, water and sugar; bring to a boil.
Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and vanilla.
Cook 1 minute over high heat, stirring constantly.
Strain, squeezing the sauce from the lemon rind.