- 6 cups (1.4 L) 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces day-old French bread
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups (473 mL) milk
- Freshly grated nutmeg, if desired
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter
- ½ cup (114 g) firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) crème de banana liqueur, if desired
- 3 bananas, peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup (59 mL) warm dark rum
- Heat oven to 350°F (180°C) with oven rack in middle. Lightly spray 9 x 9-inch (22.5 x 22.5-cm) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place bread in a baking dish.
- Beat sugar, vanilla, and eggs in large bowl until blended. Slowly beat in milk. Strain milk mixture through a mesh strainer, and pour over bread.
- Let dish stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, or until bread has absorbed the milk mixture. Press any bread that is not moist into the liquid.
- Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until set in the center and a knife inserted near center comes out clean although it will be wet.
- Cool slightly before serving warm with the sauce, or cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
- To Make the Sauce:
- Melt butter in 9-inch (22.5 cm) skillet. Add brown sugar and lemon juice and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until a sauce forms. Stir in crème de banana. Add banana slices and heat until warm. Ignite the warm rum and pour into the sauce.
- Cut pudding into squares and place in individual serving dishes.
- Spoon the hot sauce over the pudding.