Raspberry Bread Pudding

Erin's sister made this for us when we were in Utah last year and I thought it was the best bread pudding I've ever had. I've always liked bread pudding, but I've never been a big fan of the raisins that always seem to get put into it. This recipe uses raspberries and then it has a very sweet caramel sauce that can be served with it. I made it for dessert on Christmas day and it was a hit with my family! I used homemade bread that was a couple of days old, but not totally dried out. I doubled the recipe and baked it in a 9x13 pan. I made it in the morning and let the ingredients sit in the refrigerator until baking it in the evening. My father-in-law says that this is delicious with mixed berries. I wonder if chocolate chips would be good too?

Bread Pudding
Bake in 8x8” pan or double this recipe and bake in 9x13" pan

• 4 cups cubed white bread (dense, good quality)
• 2 1/4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cup milk or half and half
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 beaten eggs

Combine brown sugar, milk, and butter in a sauce pan and cook until melts. Cool it. Stir in eggs and vanilla with whisk. Pour into bowl. Fold into bread till well coated. Pour into greased glass baking dish. Add raspberries on top. Cover tightly with foil and let stand at least 20 minutes (or overnight). Bake at 350 degrees covered until set 40-50 minutes (longer if recipe is doubled) or until knife comes out clean.

Caramel Sauce
Double this if you doubled the bread pudding

• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

Whisk brown sugar and butter over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolved--about 3 minutes.

Serve warm bread pudding with warm caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream or ice cream.