ALMOND BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Place raisins in a small bowl with the rum and allow to soak.
• Remove the crusts from the bread. Determine how much bread you will need by lining the sides bottom and top of a 8 or 9 inch loaf pan and use all the butter to coat both sides of the slices of bread.
• Line the sides and bottom with the buttered bread slices and set aside the slices that will go on top.
• Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat it over low heat till you see steam rising when it is stirred - do not boil.
• While the milk is heating (keep an eye on it!), put the eggs and 4 T of sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Beat at high speed till the mixture is pale yellow and forms ribbons on the beaters when lifted (about 2-3 minutes).
• With the mixer at low speed, slowly add the hot milk. When about half of the milk has been incorporated, you can add the rest more quickly.
• Place the almonds and remaining 3 T sugar in a food processor and pulse until the reach the consistency of coarsely ground black pepper. Mix the almond mixture into the custard.
• Pour the custard into the bread lined loaf pan, holding back about 1/2 cup.
• If the loaf pan fills to the top and you have more than 1/2 cup custard left, it is probably because it is too foamy. Let it stand a bit till it settles.
• Take the raisins that have been soaking in the rum and distribute them over the custard in the loaf pan. Save the rum that is left over.
• Preheat the oven to 325.
• Cover the top of the filled loaf pan with the remaining buttered bread slices and pour the rest of the custard over the layer of bread.
• Let stand for about 15 minutes so that the bread becomes well soaked.
• Place the bread pudding on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake till it looks firm with the pan is jiggled, about 40 minutes.
• Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Once the pudding is cool enough to handle, flip it over onto a flat serving platter. The pudding should unmold easily so that you can remove the loaf pan.
• Serve either chilled or at room temperature.
• Cut into 1/2 inch slices and sprinkle each serving with a few drops of the left over rum used to soak the raisins.
• This can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.