PUDDING WITH HALF AND HALF RECIPES

Steps:

• In a medium heavy saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Add half-and-half. Cook and gently stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Gradually stir 1 cup of the half-and-half mixture into egg yolks.
• Slowly whisk egg yolk mixture back into half-and-half mixture in saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, vanilla, and sea salt. Pour pudding into 6 individual serving bowls. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Let stand 45 minutes; serve warm or chill up to 24 hours before serving.
• Top pudding with heart shaped candies before serving, if desired.

Steps:

• Arrange bread cubes evenly in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with raisins. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, half-and-half cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange zest; pour over bread. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. , For sauce, in a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and whipping cream; cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Serve bread pudding in bowls with caramel sauce and whipped cream if desired.