Makes 6 to 8 servings

• 1 quart milk
• 4 thick slices day-old French bread, torn into small pieces (about 4 cups)
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Put the milk in a large bowl. Add the bread pieces and let soak for about one hour. Then, with a fork, mash the bread well into the milk. In another bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Pour into the milk-and-bread mixture and stir to mix. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and top with the butter bits. Put the baking dish into a larger pan half filled with water. Bake until the pudding firms up, about 1 ½ hours. Remove from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes. 

Meringue

• 8 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 8 tablespoons sugar

Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and beat again until the meringue is thick and forms stiff peaks. Spread it over the pudding and return to the oven. Bake until the meringue is lightly brown, 10 to 12 minutes.  

Whiskey sauce

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• ¼ cup bourbon, rum or brandy

In a double boiler, heat the butter over low heat. Add the sugar gradually, whisking constantly until it dissolves. Do not allow the mixture to become too hot. Drizzle in the beaten eggs, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the liquor, whisking to blend. Spoon the bread pudding into small bowls and drizzle with whiskey sauce.