Bread Pudding With Rum - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/3 - 1/2 loaf of day old vienna bread or 1/3-1/2 loaf French bread (any other crusty bread will do)
3 cups milk, separated
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 teaspoons rum
1 tablespoon maple syrup
raisins (optional)
Topping
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon rum
water

Preparation

Cube bread and place, crust side down, into a casserole dish.
Scald 1 1/2 cups milk and pour over bread.
Let sit 15 mins (or up to 25 if bread is really crusty/hard).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk eggs with spices and salt.
Add sugar and whisk until dissolved.
Add remaining ingredients.
Scald remaining 1 1/2 cups milk.
Add milk to egg mixture in 1/2 cup increments and whisk thoroughly after each addition.
Pour mixture over bread.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until top browns and a fork inserted near the center comes out clean.
Meanwhile, mix together rum and brown sugar.
Add just enough water to obtain a molasses-like consistency.
About 7 minutes before the end of baking, spoon topping mixture on.
Serve warm.
Reheats well.