Ingredients:

PUDDING:

1 loaf French bread
1 quart milk
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 Tblsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins
3 Tblsp melted margarine

SAUCE:

1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 egg, beaten
2 ounces Bourbon whiskey or Southern Comfort; rum also works well

FOR SAUCE:
Cream sugar and butter and cook in a double-boiler until very hot and well-dissolved. Add well-beaten egg very slowly and whip very fast so egg doesn't curdle. Cool and add liquor.

FOR PUDDING:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tear bread into chunks and soak in milk. Crush with hands to make sure milk has soaked through. Add eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, raisins and stir well. Pour melted margarine or butter in bottom of a heavy 9 x 14 baking pan. Add bread mixture (and I sprinkle more cinnamon and raisins on top) and bake until very firm, about 40 mins. Cool pudding, cube it and put it into individual dessert dishes. When ready to serve, add whiskey sauce and heat under broiler for a few minutes (last step optional).

possible variations: you can enrich it by using half-and-half instead of milk, and an extra egg; you can add different fruits, nuts, etc.