Spirited Bread Pudding

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 cups fat-free milk
• 1 (8-ounce) loaf French bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cognac
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Orange rind strips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350u0b0.
2. Spread softened butter evenly into the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan, and sprinkle with brown sugar and walnuts. Set prepared pan aside.
3. Combine milk and bread in a large bowl. Let stand 15 minutes, occasionally pressing on bread to soak up milk. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and eggs; stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute or until bread cubes break apart. Stir in raisins, cognac, and 1/2 teaspoon grated rind. Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Place pan in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; add hot water to larger pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 350u0b0 for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cake pan from water. Let stand 5 minutes. Invert onto a serving platter.
4. Sift 2 tablespoons granulated sugar evenly over pudding. Holding a kitchen blowtorch about 3 inches from surface of pudding, heat sugar, moving torch back and forth, until sugar is completely melted and caramelized (about 1 minute). Serve warm. Garnish with orange rind strips, if desired.

butter, brown sugar, walnuts, milk, bread, granulated sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, eggs, golden raisins, cognac, orange rind, sugar, orange rind strips

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spirited-bread-pudding (may not work)