Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce Pudding 4 T unsalted butter, softened 1/2 lb unsalted butter, cut in small pieces 1½ lb loaf French bread, thinly sliced and toasted 5 eggs 3 C milk 1 1/2 C + 3 T sugar 1/4 t salt 3 t vanilla 1½ C raisins 1 C chopped pecans, lightly toasted 1 t cinnamon 1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg Praline Sauce 1/2 lb unsalted butter 1 C brown sugar 1 C heavy cream Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9" by 13" glass baking dish with the softened butter. Set aside. Tear the toast in bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, 1 1/2 C of sugar and the salt. Beat in the vanilla. Pour the mixture over the bread and set aside until it is completely absorbed. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the raisins with the pecans. In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon, nutmeg and the remaining 3 T sugar. Fold the raisins and pecans into the moistened bread and transfer to the prepared baking dish; pat down evenly. Sprinkle the spiced sugar and the diced butter over the bread pudding and cover with foil. Set the baking dish in a larger pan of hot water and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the pudding feels firm and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the foil and let sit for 10 minutes. To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve the pudding in squares, with the Praline Sauce spooned on top. Makes 16 servings. New Orleans' favorite pudding, this version by Ferdinand Johnson.