Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce

The last of the Derby day feast is the bread pudding with bourbon sauce. (see I told you had other plans for that $65 bourbon) This stuff is pretty good. I think I would have liked more of the milk and egg mixture to make it more custardy. But the sauce, that sauce is awesome. I envision a world where in I can swim in this stuff. I wanna put it on pancakes, french toast and ice cream.

Here's is the recipe:
1 pound French style bread
3 1/4 cups milk
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup pecans--I didn't have any more of these :(
1/4 cup raisins ( I soaked mine in bourbon overnight)

Sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. bourbon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. white corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Tear bread into medium pieces. Add sugar and cinnamon. Mix milk, lightly beaten eggs and vanilla. Add to bread mixture. Place half of the mix in a casserole dish. Layer pecans and raisins, if used. Top with the rest of the mix. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

To make sauce, combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil for one minute. The baking soda will make it foam up, just watch it so it doesn't boil over. Serve warm with warm bread pudding.