8 oz. loaf French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (8 cups)
3/4 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. dark seedless raisins
1/2 c. dried apricots, quartered
2 c. half and half
2 c. milk
2/3 c. sugar
2 lg. eggs
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Bourbon custard sauce

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 inch square baking pan. In large bowl, stir together bread cubes, walnuts, raisins, and apricots. Place in greased baking pan. In 2 quart saucepan, heat half and half and milk until bubbles form on side of pan. In medium size bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon until well combined; stir in warm half and half mixture. Pour over bread mixture in baking pan. Place baking pan on rimmed baking sheet and bake pudding 45 to 50 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool pudding in pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Serve immediately with sauce or refrigerate and serve cold. Prepare bourbon custard sauce. In 2 quart saucepan, beat together 1 1/2 cups milk, 5 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch. Add 2 tablespoons chopped butter, beat till smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. In small bowl, beat 2 large egg yolks; stir a few tablespoons hot milk mixture into yolks. Pour yolk mixture into saucepan with remaining milk mixture and cook over medium heat until mixture just approaches boiling. Remove pan from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons bourbon and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour in bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold just before serving. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream.