Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce or Creme Anglaise

I had an opportunity to sample both whiskey sauce and creme anglaise with bread pudding served at a Christmas buffet last year, and each was excellent in its own way. So, I dug up the most authentic recipes I could find, and include them  here.

Pudding ingredients:

• 3/4 c. raisins


• 2 tbsp. dark rum


• 1 lb. French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes


• 3 c. whole milk


• 1 c. half and half


• 3 eggs, beaten to blend


• 2 c. sugar


• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted


• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon


• 2 tbsp. vanilla

Pudding preparation:

Place raisins in small bowl. Pour rum over. Let soak 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 325. Generously butter 9x13 inch pan. Place bread in large bowl. Pour milk and half and half over. Let soak 5 minutes. Whisk eggs with sugar, butter, vanilla and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Pour over bread. Add raisins and rum. Toss to coat. Transfer bread mixture to prepared pan. Bake about 1 hour.

Whiskey Sauce ingredients:

• 1/2 c. unsalted butter


• 1/2 c. golden brown sugar, packed


• 1/2 c. sugar


• 1 egg


• 3 tbsp. whiskey


• Whipped cream

Whiskey Sauce preparation:

Melt butter and both sugars in heavy saucepan over low heat stirring until sugars dissolve. Whisk egg in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in some of melted butter mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and whisk until smooth, 1 minute, do not boil. Whisk in whiskey. Spoon warm bread pudding onto plate. Spoon sauce over, top with whipped cream.

Creme Anglaise ingredients:


A versatile vanilla sauce, used with many different dishes. With the addition of chocolate and whipped cream, creme anglaise becomes chocolate mousse.

• 3 c. milk


• 8 egg yolks


• 1 c. sugar


• 1 tsp. vanilla extract


• 1/2 c. cold cream

Creme Anglaise preparation:

Boil the three cups of milk; rest. Beat yolks, sugar, and vanilla 3 minutes; it should fold like a ribbon.
Combine yolks and hot milk, then cold cream. When it reaches the correct consistency, strain; cool, refrigerate.