Caramel Bread Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 4 cups caramel sauce (see separate recipe)
• 1 large loaf bread
• 5 large eggs
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 450°f.
• 2 spread 1 c caramel sauce in bottom of 13 x 9 pan. refrigerate until ready to use.
• 3 cut bread into 1-inch cubes. any large loaf will do, but a nice french bread, or a challah work especially well.
• 4 spread bread cubes onto sheet pan in a single layer. brown in oven for about 10-12 minutes.
• 5 reduce oven to 325. don't forget this step (the voice of experience speaks)!
• 6 in a medium bowl, mix eggs, half-and-half, vanilla and salt. add 1 1/2 c caramel sauce to this mixture.
• 7 place bread cubes in a very large bowl and pour mixture over cubes. toss gently until all cubes are coated.
• 8 let stand 20 minutes, gently mixing occasionally. be sure that there are no dry cubes!
• 9 spread the soaked bread over the caramel in the 13 x 9 pan.
• 10 bake at lower oven level for 45 minutes.
• 11 let cool 30 minutes and serve, drizzled with remaining caramel sauce.