Bread pudding with pecans, blueberries, and Raisins with Chocolate and/or Vanilla sauce.

 Bread pudding with pecans, blueberries, raisins:

8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), softened

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

generous dash of both ground cinnamon and nutmeg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup blueberries, toss with 3 tablespoon powder sugar

3/4 cup chopped pecans

½ teaspoon lemon zest cut really fine.

1 cup sugar

12 - 14 (1-inch-thick) slices  day old bread about six cups once cubed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream sugar and butter in large bowl.  Add eggs, cream, milk, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla mixing well.

Pour into a baking pan (13" x 9" works well).

Arrange bread slices flat in egg mixture; let stand 5 minutes to soak up some liquid. Add blueberries, raisins,and pecans mixing in as turn bread over and let stand 5 minutes. Push bread down so most is covered by egg mixture.

blueberries tossed with little powdered sugar

Let set about 5 more minutes to allow mixture to soak up the liquid before heading to oven.

Cover baking pan with aluminum foil. Bake 40 - 45 minutes, uncover bake another 10 - 15 minutes until brown on top. When done, custard should still be little soft still, not firm.

Serve with a little of your favorite sauce, see two easy ones below:

Bread pudding sauce

Chocolate sauce:

•   2 squares unsweetened chocolate, broken up  (1/2 oz.)
  
• 1/3 cup water
•   ½ cup sugar
•  3 tablespoons butter, cut in small chunks
•  ½ teaspoon vanilla

Using a heavy medium size sauce pan, heat water and chocolate until well mixed about 5 min.

Add sugar and place heat on low, stir constantly until all dissolved.   

Remove from heat and stir in butter until blended well.

Add vanilla stir and serve.

Vanilla sauce:

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 cup water 1 cup half-and-half 
•  4 tablespoons butter, cut in small chunks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• dash salt

Whisk the cornstarch and sugar together until well blended in a small bowl or measuring cup.

Bring the water and cream to a boil using a heavy sauce pan.

Whisk in the sugar and cornstarch mixture and simmer, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, until thickened and bubbly.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, and salt.