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1
Discard crust from bread and cut enough bread into 1/2-inch cubes to measure 6 cups.
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2
In a large baking pan dry bread, uncovered, at room temperature 12 hours.
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3
(Alternatively, dry bread in a 250F oven 1 hour.)
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4
Butter a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.
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5
Drain pineapple well.
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6
Chop pecans and toast golden.
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7
In a bowl toss together bread, pineapple, and half of pecans and transfer to baking dish.
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8
In bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, cream, and vanilla and pour slowly and evenly over bread mixture.
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9
Chill pudding, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
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10
Preheat oven to 350F.
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11
Sprinkle remaining pecans over pudding.
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12
Cut butter into bits and dot pudding with it.
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13
Bake pudding in middle of oven 20 minutes.
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14
Remove pudding from oven and drop walnut-size mounds of coconut decoratively on top.
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15
Bake pudding until coconut is golden brown, about 20 minutes more.
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16
In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and bourbon.
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17
In a small heavy saucepan bring cream, milk, sugar, and a pinch salt to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
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18
Whisk cornstarch mixture and whisk into cream mixture.
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19
Boil sauce gently, whisking, 1 minute, or until thickened.
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20
Keep sauce warm, covered.
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21
Serve pudding warm or at room temperature with sauce.
