Vanilla Brioche Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 brioche (350 g)
• 3 large eggs
• 8 large egg yolks
• 4 cups drinking cream (10%)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Seeds scraped from one vanilla pod
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• 4 cups vanilla ice cream, melted

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Place two oven racks in the oven.
2. Cut five 2-cm-thick slices of brioche and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Trim off some of the crust from the remaining bun and cut the crumb into 2.5-cm cubes. Place on another baking sheet and spread evenly.
3. Place both baking sheets in the oven and bake for 5 minutes to lightly toast the bread.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the custard..
   
   In a large bowl, combine whole eggs, yolks, cream, milk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and vanilla seeds and set aside. Arrange whole brioche slices in a 3-quart baking dish, cutting them to fit in a single layer.
5. Top with cubed brioche. Drizzle with the cream and press lightly to coat the bread with the liquid. Set aside for 10 minutes.
6. Place the bread pan in a roasting pan large enough to stand level. Pour about 2.5 cm of the hottest tap water into the roasting pan, being careful not to let any water get into the bread pan.
7. Cover the roasting pan tightly with foil, making sure it doesn't touch the pudding. Cut a few slits in the foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes.
8. Then remove the foil and bake for another 45-50 minutes, until the custard is set and a knife inserted into the center of the bread pudding comes out clean.
9. Dust the bread pudding with powdered sugar and serve warm with melted ice cream.