Bourbon Bread Pudding

1 quart whole milk

12 cups stale French bread, diced in 1-inch cubes

3 eggs, beaten

1¾ cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 ounces Jamieson’s Mellow Dark Chocolate or Robust Dark Chocolate (or other bittersweet chocolate), chopped in large chunks

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Place bread cubes in large bowl, and toss with milk until bread is moistened. Soak bread in milk for at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, and pour over bread/milk mixture. Fold together until well mixed. Fold in the chocolate chunks, and mix until evenly distributed.

Pour into a greased deep 13-by-9-inch pan. Melt the butter, and drizzle over the pudding. Cover with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes covered, and 10 to 15 more minutes uncovered, until pudding is set and firm in the middle. Serve warm with bourbon butter sauce. Serves 12 to 15.

Woodford Reserve bourbon butter sauce

8 ounces butter

2 cups sugar

½ cup Woodford Reserve bourbon

2 eggs

Melt butter in heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in sugar and bourbon, and bring to a simmer.

Crack eggs in a large bowl, and whisk until blended. Add a little warm bourbon mixture, and whisk. Continue to add the bourbon mixture a little at a time until the eggs have been tempered.

Pour all liquid back into the pan, and return it to medium heat. Bring to a light simmer, and cook for several minutes, until thickened. Keep warm, and serve over bread pudding.