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1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter 6 (1 1/4 cup) ramekins or a shallow 2-quart ceramic or glass baking dish.
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2
Line the bottom of a baking pan large enough to snugly hold the ramekins or baking dish with a clean kitchen towel and bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
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3
(The towel will prevent the ramekins from hitting the pan as they bake.)
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4
Spread the bread out in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the oven until slightly dried out, about 7 minutes.
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5
Let cool.
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6
Cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes and divide evenly among the ramekins.
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7
Combine the butter, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water in a large saucepan.
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8
Stir over low heat until smooth and bubbling at the edges, about 10 minutes.
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9
Add 2 cups of the half-and-half and the salt.
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10
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring almost to a boil.
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11
Whisk the eggs and egg yolks with the remaining cup of half-and-half and the vanilla in a large bowl until well blended.
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12
Slowly pour in the hot half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly.
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13
Ladle the mixture evenly into the ramekins or baking dish.
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14
Arrange the filled ramekins or baking dish on the towel in the pan.
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15
Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and carefully pour in enough of the boiling water to reach about halfway up the sides of the dishes.
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16
Cook until golden and set in the middle, 35 to 40 minutes for ramekins, 40 to 45 minutes for the 2-quart dish.
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17
Transfer to wire racks to cool.
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18
Prepare the vanilla sauce as directed.
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19
Stir the espresso powder into the sauce while warm.
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20
Cool and chill before serving with the pudding.
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21
Or alternately;
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22
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened in the refrigerator overnight
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23
Combine the milk and vanilla bean in a small saucepan.
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24
Heat over medium-high heat until small bubbles form around the edge.
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25
Remove from the heat, cover, and infuse the milk for 10 minutes.
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26
Scrape the seeds of the bean into the milk.
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27
Rinse and dry the bean and save for another use (such as putting it in your bag of sugar, which will turn it into vanilla sugar).
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28
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt in a large heatproof bowl until thick and light, 3 to 4 minutes.
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29
Stir in the hot milk.
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30
Return the custard to the pan and stir over low heat until slightly thickened or until a finger drawn across a wooden spoon dipped in the sauce leaves a mark (about 160 degrees F).
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31
Do not boil, or the sauce will curdle.
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32
Strain into a large bowl and cool to room temperature.
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33
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
