Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      Quart         bread cubes buttered & toasted -- French bread
   4      Tablespoons   melted butter for toasted bread
     1/3  Cup           golden raisins
   1 1/3  Cups          milk
     2/3  Cup           light cream
   1 1/3  Tablespoons   bourbon
     1/3  Teaspoon      vanilla extract
   3 1/3  Large         eggs
     1/4  Cup           sugar
                        *** PECAN TOPPING ***
   2 2/3  Ounces        dark brown sugar
   2 2/3  Tablespoons   unsalted butter
     2/3  Cup           heavy cream
     2/3  Cup           pecan halves
   2 2/3  Tablespoons   melted butter
   1 1/2  Cups          heavy cream
     1/2  Teaspoon      pure vanilla extract
   6      Tablespoons   confectioner's sugar
                        *** WHIPPED TOPPING ***
   1      Cup           heavy cream
     1/2  Teaspoon      vanilla
   6      Tablespoons   Confectioners Sugar
                        a little touch of bourbon -- ( opt)

Preparation:

Toasted Bread: Use crusty French Bread cut into 1" cubes, tossed with 4 TBSP melted butter: bake in a 350 degree oven until golden, 15 - 20 minutes. Pudding: In an oven-proof 8"x8" cake pan or baking dish, place the raisins and the toasted bread. Mix the milk, cream, bourbon, vanilla, eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whip or beat with a mixer. Pour mixture through a strainer into the raisin-bread mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes; then put the toasted bread in the milk mixture to soften slightly. Bake at 350 degrees in a water bath for 50 minutes, or until a cake tester pulls out clean. Pecan topping: Place all topping ingredients in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Bring to a slow boil, stirring often. Be sure that all of the butter is dissolved. Pour evenly over the baked bread pudding. Cool slightly; then serve with whipped topping Whipped Topping: mix all ingredients and whip until soft peaks form. whip all together and serve on top