This is the absolute best recipe for bread pudding, it will fill your home with the warm, welcoming aromas of brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. It also makes a wonderful addition to your holiday brunch. With the holidays around the corner, I feel the need to share some of my favorite recipes for you and your family. This rich, comfort food and so addicting. You can use any kind of bread or pastry – stale French bread, day old glazed doughnuts, cinnamon bread or rolls, your choice. Enjoy

Ingredients for Pudding:

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 10 cups chopped day old bread or pastry
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Ingredients for Vanilla Bourbon Sauce:

• 4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ to ½ cup bourbon
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)

Directions:

1. For Bread Pudding; mix all ingredients in a large bowl and let sit for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray to cover the bread pudding while it is baking.
3. Pour bread pudding batter into pan. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour or until center of pudding is firm.
   1. NOTE: This can be made about 1 or 2 days in advance, reheat at 250 degrees for 30 minutes before serving

Directions of Vanilla Bourbon Sauce:

1. Pour heavy cream into a heavy saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Continue to boil until cream is reduced by almost half, about 30 minutes. Stir periodically to keep cream from scalding.
2. Add brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and bourbon and allow to boil until sauce thickens slightly (another 15 minutes). For extra thick sauce, add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the boiling liquid, stirring constantly.

Serve warm, drizzling sauce over the top of each pudding square after placing on a plate.