Coach House Bread Pudding

COACH HOUSE BREAD PUDDING

6 slices Italian bread
3 Tablespoon butter; softened
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 Cups milk
1/2 Cup whipping cream
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla

Butter 1 side of each slice of bread. Line 3-quart oven-safe glass bowl dish with bread slices, buttered-side up. Set aside.
Whisk together eggs and egg yolks in mixing bowl until well blended. Add sugar and salt, and stir briskly to mix well. Heat milk and cream in saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around outer edge of saucepan or until milk and cream are very hot but not boiling. Remove from heat.
Put mixing bowl containing egg mixture on towel so it won't move around. Slowly add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with large spoon or whisk, until custard is smooth and blended. Stir in vanilla.
Pour custard over bread slices. Place pudding bowl in roasting pan and add enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of bowl. Carefully carry to oven and bake at 375 degrees until thin wooden skewer inserted in center of pudding comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.