Instructions: Butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

Tear the bread into small pieces and drop them into a large bowl. Pour the milk over them and stir to moisten. Soak 30 minutes. (About 20 minutes after beginning to soak the bread, preheat the oven to 350#161#F.) When finished soaking, break up the bread into bits with a large spoon.

Beat together the eggs, sugar, raisins, and vanilla. Pour into the bread mixture and stir thoroughly, breaking up any large chunks of bread that surface. Scrape the pudding into the prepared baking dish, smooth the top, and dot with butter. Place the baking dish in a large pan and fill the outer pan halfway with hot water. Place both pans in the oven and bake 70 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a double boiler. In a small bowl, beat the egg and beat in the confectioners sugar. Stir into the melted butter and whisk the mixture until it becomes very hot, about 7 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Stir in the bourbon.

Serve the pudding hot or warm in small custard cups. Spoon some sauce over each serving.

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