Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• >>>PUDDING
• ½ cup Thompson raisins
• ¼ cup bourbon
• ½ cup unsalted butter, plus more to grease the baking dish tips & tricks
• 4 large free-range eggs, beaten
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
• 14 cups (15 oz.) bread such as Challah, Brioche, Hawaiian or French loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar, or as needed for dusting
• >>>BOURBON SAUCE
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup bourbon
• 1 pinch ground Himalayan sea salt