Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce recipe

4 slices day-old white bread
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon brandy
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups water

Butter the bread with 2 tablespoons of the butter, then cut into cubes.

Put the brown sugar in an even layer in the bottom of a 6-cup baking dish that fits comfortably inside the pressure cooker. Press any lumps from the sugar with the back of spoon.

Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into small pieces and dot over the sugar, then sprinkle with brandy. Add the cubed bread, but do not stir.

Whisk the half-and-half with the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Pour over the bread, again without stirring.

Cover the baking dish with foil so that no water can get inside. Pour 2 cups water into the bottom of the pressure cooker. Place the baking dish on a grid or in a steamer basket (whichever your cooker has) to get baking dish off bottom of cooker. Cover pressure cooker and bring up to medium pressure (10 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilize pressure and cook for 25 minutes. Release pressure and remove baking dish. Pour off any water that has accumulated on top of foil, then remove foil.

Run a knife around the edges of baking dish to loosen pudding from the sides. Invert a serving plate over the top of the baking dish and quickly turn the two pieces over. Remove the baking pan. Serve bread pudding warm or at room temperature.

When the pudding is inverted, you will see that the brown sugar butter and brandy have made a delicious caramel sauce. As there is no sugar in the pudding, be sure each serving gets a generous helping of the sauce.

Serves 6.