I made this for Kumy’s 45th Birthday, but the ones who really loved it were my son Ali and me!

3 cups french bread, cut in chunks
3 cups milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
dusting of fresh nutmeg

Put bread cubes in a casserole dish. Heat milk and butter just until bubbles come up the side of the pan. Mix eggs and the rest in a bowl and add warm milk. Stir and pour over bread. Use a fork to press the bread cubes into the custard mixture. Put the casserole in a larger pan with about an inch of water. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until a bread knife comes out clean.

You can add a cup of blueberries, or other fresh fruit diced up, or a cup of raisins or currants. You can even add a cup of chocolate chips. It’s delicious warm or cold.

Update: to make this dessert for a large group, simply double the recipe and bake it in a 1/2 catering tray. Serve with Warm Bourbon Sauce, or Peach Sauce.

Up-Update:  Cranberry Walnut Version.  Using part of a stale loaf of Cranberry Walnut bread from a great french bakery in town that we love, I thought, why not make a Cranberry Walnut Bread Pudding.?

Used the same recipe as above, but added a handful of Craisins and a handful of chopped walnuts.  It was lovely – tangy and sweet with the added crunch of the walnuts now and then.