Instructions: Toasted Bread: Use crusty French bread cut into 1" cubes, tossed with 4 TBSP melted butter: bake in a 350 degree oven until golden, 15 - 20 minutes. Pudding: In an oven-proof 8"x8" cake pan or baking dish, place the raisins and the toasted bread. Mix the milk, cream, bourbon, vanilla, eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whip or beat with a mixer. Pour mixture through a strainer into the raisin-bread mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes; then bob the toasted bread in the milk mixture to soften slightly. Bake at 350 degrees in a water bath for 50 minutes, or until a cake tester pulls out cleanly. Pecan topping: Place all topping ingredients in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Bring to a slow boil, stirring often. Be sure that all of the butter is dissolved. Pour evenly over the baked bread pudding. Cool slightly; then serve with whipped cream.

Whipped cream/Creme Chantilly: 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, 6 TBSP. confectioners sugar.

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