- 4 eggs
- 2 c. milk
- 1/2 c. + 2 T. brown sugar, divided
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 T. grated orange zest
- 5 c. cinnamon-raisin bread cubes — you can also use store-bought bread
- Cooking spray (for baking dish)
- 1 c. white sugar
- 1/4 c. heavy cream
- 1/4 c. freshly-squeezed orange juice
- 1 T. orange zest
- 1 T. bourbon
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Add the brown sugar (reserving 2 tablespoons for later), cinnamon, and orange zest. Mix well.
Cut the bread into 1-inch pieces. Gently stir the bread pieces into the egg mixture. Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the pudding soaks, preheat the oven to 350° F and coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
Pour the pudding mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the reserved brown sugar.
Bake the pudding for 45-50 minutes, or when a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
While the pudding is baking, make the caramel sauce. Combine the white sugar, heavy cream, and orange juice in a heavy-bottomed small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue stirring until the mixture thickens and caramelizes. Be careful to not over-cook the sauce, as it can burn easily. Remove the sauce from the heat and, still stirring, add the zest and bourbon and stir to combine well.
Serve the bread pudding in small bowls drizzled with the caramel sauce.
- Yields: 8 servings
- Preparation Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes