� 2 Tsp. butter
� 12 oz. country bread, cut into 1" cubes
� 2 cups milk
� 3 cups heavy cream
� 4 eggs + 1 yolk
� 1 cup sugar
� � tsp. salt
� 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
� � teaspoon cinnamon
� � teaspoon nutmeg
� � cup raisins
� 1 cup boiling water

Preparation:

1. Butter 9x13 baking dish. Put bread in large bowl. Heat milk and cream over medium-high heat until about to simmer. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk eggs, yolk, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, pour cream mixture in a slow, steady stream into egg mixture. Pour over bread, fold and combine. Let stand 30 minutes, tossing and pressing occasionally to submerge.

3. Soak raisins 30 minutes in 1 cup boiling water.

4. Drain, stir raisins into bread mixture. Preheat oven to 350�. Transfer bread to buttered dish with slotted spoon. Pour liquid over top. Using spoon, turn top layer of bread crust side up.

5. Set dish in roasting pan; transfer to oven. Pour boiling water into pan to reach about halfway up sides of dish.

6. Bake 50 minutes. Let cool on rack 10 to 20 minutes.

Variations: For each of the following, leave out cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins.

1. Orange-Cranberry-Pecan.
Simmer 3/4 cup dried cranberries in 3/4 cup orange juice till plump, 3 to 5 minutes; drain.
Fold into soaked bread mixture with 2 Tablespoons orange zest and 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans.

2. Chocolate.
Add 8 oz. coarsely chopped semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate to hot cream mixture, still till melted and well-combined.

3. Tropical.
Add 3 Tablespoons rum to egg mixture.
Carmelize 2 Tablespoons brown sugar and 2 Tablespoons butter in skillet. Add 2 sliced bananas, cook 1 to 2 minutes.
Fold into soaked bread with 3/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut.