1 (8 oz.) loaf French bread, cut into 1" cubes (8 c.)
3/4 c. walnuts, chopped coarsely
1/2 c. dark seedless raisins
1/2 c. dried apricots, quartered
2 c. half & half
2 c. milk
2/3 c. sugar
2 lg. eggs
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Bourbon Custard Sauce (see below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Grease 9 inch square baking pan. In large bowl stir together, French bread, walnuts, raisins and apricots. Place in baking pan.

2. In a 2 quart saucepan heat half & half and milk until it bubbles on side of pan. Add to bread mixture and mix. Put into baking pan.

3. Place baking pan on rimmed baking sheet and bake 45-50 minutes. Prepare Bourbon Sauce. Cool pudding in pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Serve immediately with sauce or refrigerate and serve cold.

BOURBON CUSTARD SAUCE:

1 1/2 c. milk
5 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. butter
2 lg. egg yolks
2 tbsp. bourbon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. heavy cream

In a 2 quart saucepan beat together milk, sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Cut butter into pieces and add to milk mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it boils and is thickened.

In a small bowl beat egg yolks. Stir in a few tablespoons of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Pour yolk mixture into saucepan with remaining milk mixture and cook over medium heat until mixture just approaches boiling. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in bourbon and vanilla extract. Pour custard in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Just before serving, stir 1/2 cup heavy cream into chilled custard.