Bread Pudding

This is what I'm proud to call "My Signature Winter Dessert". You can experiment with almost any kind of loaf-type bread for this recipe, my favorites are egg based breads like Challah, Panettone and Brioche.

Ingredients:
Sauce:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup rum or scotch (Can be substituted for 1 tsp of orange zest)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Bread Pudding:
1 (1-pound) loaf Brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 large eggs
4 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in 1 cup hot water

Preparation:
To make the sauce: Mix the cream, milk, cornstarch, liquor (or orange zest) and sugar in a heavy sauce pan. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Set aside and keep warm. (The sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.)
To make the bread pudding: Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Mix the bread cubes with the raisins and arrange in the prepared dish. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and sugar to blend. Pour the custard over the bread cubes, and press gently to submerge. Let stand for 30 minutes, occasionally pressing the bread cubes into the custard mixture. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until the pudding puffs and is set in the center, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Spoon the bread pudding into bowls, drizzle with the warm sauce, and serve.