New Year's 2007 Pear Bread Pudding

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

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 3/4 cup golden raisin
• 1/4 cup rum (i used black seal, mmmm)
• 1 lb pumpernickel bread, chopped into 2 inch chunks
• 2 cups french bread, chopped into 1 inch chunks
• 3 cups milk
• 6 cups pears, peeled & chopped
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 1 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream)
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Recipe

• 1 heat milk to scalding in deep bowl & add pumpernickel chunks. let sit unil tepid. lift soaked pumpernickel & squeeze gently - place into a large casserole (make sure it will nest inside another casserole or pan so it can be in water bath to bake. save milk.
• 2 while pumpernickel is soaking, mix raisins & rum in a 1 cup container & microwave in high for 1 minute. let cool.
• 3 sauté pears 5 minutes over medium high heat in 1/4 cup butter & 1/2 cup sugar until liquid is syrupy. let cool. separate pears from syrup - save syrup.
• 4 add french bread, pears & raisins with leftover rum to soaked pumpernickel & toss lightly. sprinkle rest of sugar onto bread & pear mixture.
• 5 mix milk, cream & beaten eggs with vanilla. pour over bread & pear mixture & mix lightly.
• 6 set casserole in pan of hot water & place in preheated 325°f oven for 1 hour or until set. (or until fireworks used up). spoon some of pear syrup over each serving.