SERVES:
makes one 9 x 13-inch baking dish
prep time: 15 minutes
bake time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup rum (see hints below)
6 cups 1-inch cubed 3 - 4 day old country bread
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to serve
PROCEDURE:
Add 2/3 cup of raisins to a bowl and add 1/4 cup of rum to that and toss to combine, to help the raisins soften up a bit.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease or butter one 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Cut 6 cups 3 - 4 day old bread into 1-inch cubes.
Use a large mixing bowl to make the custard by combining 5 large eggs with 1 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1 1/4 cup milk, add 1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar, 1/3 cup molasses, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger and 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg and whisk it up.
And then fold the 6 cups of cubed bread into that to start soaking up the custard.
After about 5 minutes, add the raisins and rum to that and then transfer that to the prepared pan and place it into the preheated 350 degree oven.
That will take just about 40 minutes to bake, it'll be a little bit springy but firm throughout when it's done.
Let it cool down a bit or serve it up while it's still nice and warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
HINTS:
Leave the rum out if you like and add the plain raisins to the custard instead.
I find that this tastes best at room temperature rather than warm or hot.