BRENNAN'S BREAD PUDDING WITH WHISKEY SAUCE

Steps:

• For The Bread Pudding:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• Scatter the bread in the baking dish.
• Pour the scalded milk over the bread; set aside.
• Mix the eggs with the sugar.
• Stir in the remaining ingredients and pour the egg-and-sugar mixture over the bread-and-milk mixture.
• Although it doesn't state to do this with any bread pudding I usually press the bread down with a spatula to help the milk to be absorbed,cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
• Set the baking dish inside a slightly larger pan.
• Pour warm water into the larger pan about halfway up the sides of the bread pudding dish to make a "bain marie".
• Bake the bread pudding for about an hour, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• For the Whiskey sauce:.
• In a medium-size saucepan, heat the milk and the sugar until they almost come to a boil.
• Pour a small amount of the milk and sugar mixture into the egg yolks, whisking all the while.
• Gradually pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
• Blend the cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water.
• Add to the saucepan.
• Bring the custard to a boil, whisking constantly for several minutes until it thickens.
• Remove from the heat.
• Stir in vanilla extract and whiskey.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
• Pour over bread pudding as desired.
• *Cook time does not reflect the refrigeration time*.