Instructions: * Note: Brioche is a yeast bread made with butter and eggs, often available at bakeries. You can substitute challah or a French bread for the brioche, but not a sourdough.

Trim crusts from bread slices. Butter 1 side of each slice of bread. Line 3-quart oven-safe glass bowl or large souffle dish with bread slices, buttered-side up. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and egg yolks in mixing bowl until well blended. Add sugar and salt, and stir briskly to mix well. Heat milk and cream in saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around outer edge of saucepan or until milk and cream are very hot but not boiling. Remove from heat.

Put mixing bowl containing egg mixture on towel so it wont move around. Slowly add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with large spoon or whisk, until custard is smooth and blended. Stir in vanilla.

Pour custard over bread slices. Place pudding bowl in roasting pan and add enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of bowl. Carefully carry to oven and bake at 375 degrees until thin wooden skewer inserted in center of pudding comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.

Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

This recipe yields 12 servings.

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