Rum Raisin Bread Pudding
Recipe courtesy The Neelys (instructions modified)

This is definitely a custard type bread pudding that you cut into squares to serve. It has good flavor due to the cinnamon, rum and raisins. Serve warm with whipped cream.

3 cups milk (I use one can evaporated milk and added enough milk to make 3 cups total)
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons rum
1/2 cup raisins
7 (1/2-inch) slices brioche bread, cubed or torn (I used a mixture of about 7 1/2 cups leftover sweet breads - wish the recipe was written in cups)
4 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (I used a 325 degree F. oven as custard need to bake slow and low)

(I soaked my raisins in the rum and added them after the bread had soaked in the hot milk and cooled. I also saved some of the milk to beat with my eggs and added the vanilla extract to this mixture.)

In a large saucepan, add milk, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, rum and raisins and heat until warm. Simmer and stir until sugar dissolves.
Into a large bowl add the cubed bread and pour in the hot milk mixture. Let sit for 30 minutes so the bread absorbs the milk.

Add the beaten eggs to the bread and milk mixture and stir. Pour bread pudding into a buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish and bake for 50 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Another way to judge whether the pudding is fully baked, is to gently press down on the center of the pudding. If any custard comes up to the top, the pudding needs to be baked a little longer.

8 - 10 servings