----PUDDING----
3 lg Eggs
1 lg Egg yolk
3/4 c  Sugar
4 tb Unsalted butter; melted
1 3/4 c  Half-and-half
3 tb Brandy
2 tb Pure vanilla extract
3/4 ts Freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 ts Salt
6 sl Dry cinnamon raisin bread
- quartered

–CRANBERRY-MAPLE SAUCE–
1/3 c Pure maple syrup
2 tb Sugar
1 1/2 c Cranberries
– if frozen, do not thaw
3 tb Unsalted butter
1 1/2 tb Bourbon

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F 15 minutes before baking, with the rack in the center
of the oven. Butter a 6-cup souffle dish. Have a kettle of boiling water
ready and a baking pan large enough to hold the souffle dish. Whisk the
eggs, egg yolk and sugar until light. Mix in the butter, the half-and-half,
brandy, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Place the bread in the souffle dish and
pour the custard over it. Press the bread into the custard so it gets well
soaked. Let rest 20 minutes. Put the souffle dish in the baking pan and
place on the oven rack. Pour boiling water into the baking pan so it comes
halfway up the sides of the souffle dish. Bake until the custard is softly
set in the center, about 1 hour. Remove from the water bath. Serve warm or
at room temperature with Cranberry-Maple Sauce. Once cooled, the pudding
can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover with aluminum foil
with several slits in it. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 20 minutes.
Serve warm, or at room temperature with Cranberry-Maple Sauce.
CRANBERRY-MAPLE SAUCE: Bring the maple syrup and sugar to a boil in a small
non-aluminum pan, then cook for 3 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook
until their skins burst and they begin to pop, 6 to 8 minutes, or slightly
longer if they are frozen. Cut the butter into 3 pieces. Remove the pan
from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time, waiting until
each is incorporated before adding another. Add the bourbon. Sauce can be
served immediately or refrigerated for up to a week. Reheat gently and thin
with 2 to 3 tablespoons water before serving.