Spirited Bread Pudding

Preheat oven to 35

Spread softened butter evenly into the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan, and sprinkle with brown sugar and walnuts. Set prepared pan aside.

Combine milk and bread in a large bowl.

Let stand 15 minutes, occasionally pressing on bread to soak up milk.

Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and eggs; stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute or until bread cubes break apart. Stir in raisins, cognac, and 1/2 teaspoon grated rind.

Pour bread mixture into prepared pan.

Place pan in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; add hot water to larger pan to a depth of 1 inch.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove cake pan from water.

Let stand 5 minutes. Invert onto a serving platter.

Sift 2 tablespoons granulated sugar evenly over pudding. Holding a kitchen blowtorch about 3 inches from surface of pudding, heat sugar, moving torch back and forth, until sugar is completely melted and caramelized (about 1 minute).

Serve warm.

Garnish with orange rind strips, if desired.