Bourbon Bread Pudding

I love bread pudding. No idea why. My parents never made it and I don't remember eating it growing up, I've just always liked the idea of it. This recipe is for bread pudding with an extra kick (a kick that can be omitted easily).

Bourbon*

Stale bread (challah, brioche, french bread, etc.)

Pecans

2-4 beaten eggs (how many eggs you use depends on how eggy you like your pudding)

1-1 1/2 c cream/milk

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbs butter (melted)

1/2-3/4c white/brown sugar**

1 tsp vanilla extract

Raisins***

*To taste. Start on the low side and increase up to 1/4 cup.

**I prefer to use more brown sugar than white in bread pudding.

***Optional

Preheat oven to 375 and tear bread into small pieces and place in baking dish. Pour melted butter over the bread.

In a small dish, pour in raisins and cover with bourbon. The raisins will eventually soak up the bourbon. This is completely optional.

Mix eggs, sugar, milk/cream, cinnamon, vanilla, and bourbon (if you don't want bourbon soaked raisins) in a bowl until well combined. Add nuts.

Pour mixture over the bread. Use a fork to carefully push down the bread so that it soaks up/is covered by the mixture.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the bread springs back up after being gently pushed with a fork. Cover the bread pudding with tin foil for the first half of baking and then uncovered for the rest of the baking time.