12 thin slices day-old French bread, crusts trimmed
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 cups (1 quart) milk
1 cup heavy cream
5 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with a rack in the center.
Butter one
side of each slice of bread; set aside. Butter a 2-quart souffle dish
or
baking dish.

2. In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, simmer the milk and cream
over medium heat
until small bubbles appear around the edges. Meanwhile, in a
large bowl, beat
the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt until well blended.

3. Gradually stir the scalded milk and cream into the egg mixture;
stir in the
vanilla.

4. Arrange the bread slices, buttered side up, in the prepared dish.
Strain
the custard mixture over the bread. Set the baking dish in a
roasting pan, and
place the pan in the oven. Pour enough hot tap water to reach
about halfway up
the sides of the dish.

5. Bake the pudding until barely set in the center, about 45
minutes. Remove
the baking dish from the water bath.

6. Preheat the broiler. Sieve a generous coating of confectioners'
sugar
over the surface of the pudding. Place briefly under the broiler until
the top
is glazed (watch carefully to prevent burning). Transfer to a wire
rack to
cool to room temperature.

7. Serve at room temperature or chilled, alone or with raspberry
puree.