The Sewing Mom

Yesterday I asked for bread pudding recipes and I am happy to report, my request was granted! Kelly from City Mouse – Country Mouse gave me this recipe that her mom uses from Italian Cooking and Living Magazine. Thanks Kelly!
Corrin from Oh Hey! uses the same recipe and highly suggests using a Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean!

1 vanilla bean
6 cups whipping cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup brandy
9 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
ten 3/8?-thick slices rustic bread, crusts removed
2 lemons, cut into 20 thin slices
10 mint sprigs

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds from the pod and combine them with the pod, cream, milk, and brandy in a 3-quart pan. Bring to just below the boiling point over medium heat. Discard the vanilla pod and seeds. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until thick in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the cream mixture, whisking constantly. Arrange the bread in a 3-quart soufflé dish. Pour in the egg yolk-cream mixture, submerging the bread with a spoon so it soaks up some of the liquid. Place the souffle dish in a 10? x 14? baking dish and fill the baking dish with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the souffle dish. Bake 30 minutes, or until the edges have set and the center is still a bit runny; the pudding will continue to cook out of the oven and will set as it cools slightly Serve warm, garnished with the lemon and mint. Serves 10