Bread Pudding Ingredients:

Vanilla Sauce Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a casserole dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
2. Prepare Custard Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt until well blended.
3. Soak Bread Cubes: Add day-old bread cubes to the mixture and gently stir until all cubes are coated. Let it sit for 10 minutes, allowing the bread to soak up the custard.
4. Optional Raisins: If using raisins, fold them into the bread mixture.
5. Add Melted Butter: Pour melted butter evenly over the mixture and gently toss to distribute it.
6. Transfer to Casserole Dish: Transfer the bread pudding mixture to the greased casserole dish, spreading it out evenly.
7. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown, and the center is set. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean.
8. Prepare Vanilla Sauce: While the bread pudding is baking, in a small saucepan, combine heavy cream, sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
9. Serve: Once the bread pudding is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Serve warm, drizzled with the decadent vanilla sauce.