Butterscotch, Walnut and Coffee Bread Pudding

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Discard crust from bread and cut enough bread into 1/2-inch cubes to measure 6 cups. In a large baking pan dry bread, uncovered, at room temperature 12 hours. (Alternatively, dry bread in a 250°F oven 1 hour.)

   Step 2

   Butter a 10-inch pie plate (1 1/2 quarts).

   Step 3

   Chop walnuts and toast golden. Cool walnuts. In a bowl toss together bread, half of walnuts, and butterscotch chips and transfer to pie plate. In a saucepan heat 1 cup milk until it just begins to boil and remove pan from heat. Add espresso or coffee granules, stirring until dissolved, and stir in remaining cup milk.

   Step 4

   In bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, and salt and whisk in espresso mixture until combined well. Pour custard slowly and evenly over bread mixture. Chill pudding, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

   Step 5

   Preheat oven to 350°F.

   Step 6

   Sprinkle remaining walnuts evenly over pudding. Cut butter into bits and dot pudding with it. Bake pudding in middle of oven until bubbling and golden, about 40 minutes. Serve pudding warm or at room temperature.