Eggless Bread Pudding

I had invited friends home for dinner and wanted to try out a new dessert dish. Usually I end up making Chocolate Cake, Cherried Chocolate Cake or the Pineapple Upside Down Cake if I wanted an vegan option. But this time no vegan constraint, so I wanted to try something new. I was looking through my kitchen, and then spotted a french baguette which I had purchased earlier. Bread Pudding! Yup, I have never tried this recipe at home but have tasted it many times outside. One day old bread is perfect for the recipe. Usually the baguette, or the french loaf makes a perfect bread pudding as they are a little more crustier when compared to the regular bread slices. So they do not end up soggy after baking. But if you have only the normal bread at hand, then by all other means go ahead with it!
This is a mildly sweet dessert and goes very light on the sugar. My DS who is not a big sweet-lover, loved this dessert. So that was one of the biggest compliment that I could get!
Usually the bread pudding is soaked in a custard sauce made out of eggs. But as you know, I do not buy eggs, hence ended up making my own version of eggless custard sauce. And to add some flavor, I tossed in some dry fruits and nuts and also some Chocolate Chips! Yum!
You can bake the bread pudding in a baking dish and then slice out as per your need. Or like me, you can bake them in individual ramekins and serve them as it is to your guests.
They are great when accompanied with Vanilla Ice Cream.

Serves 4
Ingredients Required:
French Baguette - 1/2 loaf, sliced into small cubes
Butter - 2 tblspn
Raisins - 3 tblsp
Golden Raisins - 3 tblsp
Almonds - 10, roughly chopped
Pecans - 10, roughly chopped
Walnuts - 10, roughly chopped
Chocolate Chips - 3 tblsp
Brown Sugar - 4 tsp

Custard Sauce:
Milk - 2 cups
Sugar - 6 tblsp
Cinnamon - 2 tsp
Custard Powder - 2 tblsp
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

How to make?
Pre heat oven to 350 F.
Custard Sauce:
In a small heavy bottom pan, take the milk and custard powder. Whisk well till no lumps.
Place on medium - low heat, stirring continuously till the mixture thickens. This would take around 10 minutes.
Add the cinnamon powder and vanilla essence and mix well.

Arrange the bread cubes in all the ramekins.
Top it up with the butter cubes.
Toss in the chopped nuts and raisins.
Drizzle the custard sauce over the bread cubes.
Top it up with chocolate chips and brown sugar.
Allow the bread to soak the sauce for 5 minutes.

Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 35 - 40 minutes.
Serve Warm. Can be served with chocolate sauce or vanilla ice cream.

Notes:
Custard powder is just corn flour flavored with vanilla essence with yellow food color.
If you do not have custard powder, substitute with equal amounts of corn flour and add another tsp of vanilla. If you want the yellow color, add in a pinch of yellow food color.