Salted Caramel Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter.

Cut the day-old brioche or challah bread into 1-inch cubes and place in the prepared baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together 5 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt until well combined.

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down gently to ensure all bread is soaked.

Drizzle 1/2 cup of caramel sauce over the bread mixture and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of flaky sea salt.

Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the liquid.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the pudding is set and the top is golden brown.

While the bread pudding is baking, prepare the bourbon sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter.

Add 1/2 cup brown sugar to the melted butter and whisk until dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.

Carefully add 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 tablespoons bourbon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Remove the bread pudding from the oven and drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup caramel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt.

Let the bread pudding cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with the warm bourbon sauce.