Irish Bread Pudding With Caramel-Whiskey Sauce

from Cooking Light 03/01/98

This is one of the most popular desserts ever run in the magazine. The caramel sauce an indescribably rich tasting and a perfect topping for the whiskey soaked bread pudding.

INGREDIENTS
Pudding:
1/4 cup light butter, melted
1 (10-ounce) French bread baguette, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1-3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Caramel-Whiskey Sauce:
1-1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup light butter
2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel) (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

INSTRUCTIONS:
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brush melted butter on one side of French bread slices, and place bread, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake bread at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes, and set aside.
3. Combine raisins and whiskey in a small bowl; cover and let stand 10 minutes or until soft (do not drain).
4. Combine 1% milk and next 4 ingredients (1% milk through eggs) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add bread cubes and raisin mixture, pressing gently to moisten; let stand 15 minutes. Spoon bread mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pudding. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until set. Serve warm with Caramel-Whiskey Sauce.
Note: Substitute 1/4 cup apple juice for the Irish whiskey, if desired.
Instructions for Caramel-Whiskey Sauce:
1. Combine sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cook an additional 15 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat. Carefully add butter and cream cheese, stirring constantly with a whisk (mixture will be hot and bubble vigorously). Cool slightly, and stir in whiskey and milk.

YIELD:
12 servings (serving size: 1 [3-inch] square and 2 tablespoons sauce).

NUTRITIONAL INFO:
calories: 362
carbohydrates: 66.7 g
cholesterol: 57 mg fat:
6.7 g sodium:
269 mg protein:
8.1 g calcium:
155 mg iron:
1 mg fiber: 0.9 g

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