This recipe provides a good way to use up old bread!

Bettelman (Begger Man) Bread Pudding

5 slices bread, at least three days old
Butter
½ cup raisins (optional)
3 cups milk
⅓ plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
3 eggs, beaten
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°.

Toast bread lightly, butter bread, and break into pieces. Arrange in a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Should be fairly full of bread; if not, add another piece. Sprinkle raisins over bread.

In a heavy saucepan, scald milk. Stir in ⅓ cup sugar and pinch salt. Slowly pour scalded milk mixture over eggs. Pour milk and egg mixture over bread and stir just a bit so that all bread pieces are moist. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg (fresh grated nutmeg is best). Sprinkle over bread pudding. Set baking dish in a pan of hot water; bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted comes out clean. Serve warm with grape sauce or vanilla sauce (see following recipes).

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This recipe comes from the cookbook Seasons of Plenty: Amana Communal Cooking and was posted with permission of author Emilie Hoppe. Learn more about the book and how to purchase it.