"My mom came up with this recipe," says John MacPherson, owner-chef of the Foster Harris House (so, Francophones, don't get picky about the grammar), "and has served it for some 20 years. Of course the serving size at my mom's is five times as big as we serve at the Foster Harris House, but a little goes a long way with this decadent breakfast dessert."

Pain du Mom

Serves 8 - 12

12 slices thick cut white bread, crusts removed
8 eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
raw sugar and cinnamon for dusting
Butter for greasing pan
Crème Anglaise

Butter a 9” x 12” baking dish. In a medium saucepan add butter, sugars, cinnamon and allspice and heat over medium low heat whisking occasionally until melted and combined. Set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cream, milk and vanilla and set aside. Lay bread slices in one layer on the bottom of the baking dish and pour half of the egg mixture over the bread. Pour the butter/sugar mixture over the egg soaked bread, spreading it to cover bread completely. Lay the rest of the bread on top of butter/sugar mixture and top with remaining egg mixture. Refrigerate over night.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove Pain de Mom from refrigerator 20 minutes before baking. Dust with cinnamon. and raw sugar and bake for 35 minutes until top is browned and puffed up. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving with Crème Anglaise.

"Crème Anglaise is the be-all-end-all sauce for anything chocolate or bread pudding like. I like to serve it with our Pain de Mom and chocolate soufflé. Drizzle some over brownies and ice cream…  it's dessert so why not!"

Crème Anglaise

1 vanilla bean split and seeds scraped
1 cup of milk
1 cup of heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1/3 cup of sugar
medium mixing bowl set over ice

In a medium saucepan heat milk, cream, 1/2 of the sugar, vanilla bean and seeds over medium heat to a simmer. Remove pan from the heat and set aside.

In a small bowl whisk the remaining sugar and egg yolks to blend. Gradually whisk in about 1/3 of the cream mixture to temper the yolks, then transfer the contents of the bowl back to the saucepan. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the cream coats the back of the spoon.

Once thickened pour contents into the bowl set over ice and cool, stirring occasionally until chilled. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve and refrigerate until needed.

Sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

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