Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  6               cups  bite-sized pieces of day-old french bread
  3               cups  milk
  3              large  eggs
     2/3           cup  plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  2              large  ripe bananas
     3/4    tablespoon  vanilla extract
  1         tablespoon  ground cinnamon
     1/4      teaspoon  ground nutmeg
     1/2           cup  seedless raisins
     1/2           cup  roasted pecans
  3        tablespoons  unsalted butter
     3/4           cup  heavy whipping cream
                        banana rum sauce
     2/3           cup  unsalted butter -- room temperature
     1/2           cup  packed light brown sugar
  6              large  ripe bananas -- quartered
  1           teaspoon  ground cinnamon
     1/4      teaspoon  ground nutmeg
  3        tablespoons  dark rum
  2        tablespoons  banana liqueur
     1/2      teaspoon  pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 300F. Put the French bread pieces into a 9x12x2 inch baking pan. In a blender or food processor, blend the eggs, milk, 2/3 cup of sugar, bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla until smooth. Pour this mixture over the French bread pieces. Fold in the raisins and the pecans and let the mixture set for 20 minutes. Top with small pieces of the butter. Cover the pudding with aluminum foil and place the pan into a larger pan. Add warm water to a depth of 1 inch in the larger pan. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 15 minutes until set. In a deep, medium bowl, whisk the cream just until it begins to thicken. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Continue whisking until soft peaks form. Cover and chill. Banana Rum Sauce Heat a large saute pan or skillet over low heat. Add the butter, sugar, bananas, cinnamon and nutmeg. Moving the skillet back and forth, cook until the butter and sugar become creamy and the bananas begin to soften, about one minute. Remove the skillet from heat and add the rum and the liqueur. Return the pan to the heat. Tilt the pan, avert your face and light the liquid with a long match. Shake the skillet until the flames subside. Add the vanilla, remove from heat and keep warm. To serve Place a large scoop of bread pudding in the middle of each serving plate or bowl. Place 2 slices of banana on each plate and top with about 3 tablespoons of sauce. Spoon the whipped cream over the bread pudding and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information:

324 Calories (kcal); 25g Total Fat; (69% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 111mg Cholesterol; 56mg Sodium