French Creole Classic Bread Pudding

French Creole Classic Bread Pudding

1 prepared pastry shell, defrosted
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup raisins
3 medium apples, peeled, cored
2 medium apples, finely chopped
1 medium apple, sliced for garnishing
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/2 cup whole pecans, for garnishing
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 stale French bread loaf

Rum Sauce:
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten well
rum to taste

Line bottom of un-greased dish with defrosted pastry shell. Poke holes in
sides and bottoms, and bake according to instructions. Set aside. In
microwave-safe bowl, heat milk and raisins on high for 4 minutes. Let stand.
In the bowl containing the milk-and-raisin mixture, add the following: egg
yolks, sugar, vanilla, melted butter and cinnamon. Mix together well. Add
the chopped apples and chopped pecans. Tear into small pieces 1/2 loaf of
stale French bread. Add bread pieces to mixture and stir well. Keep adding
bread until just a small amount of liquid is left in bottom of bowl. Spoon
mixture over baked puff pastry. Use sliced apples to garnish top, making
circle with the apples (fan them out). Tuck whole pecans between apple
slices in center of pan. Sprinkle reserved chopped pecans around outside of
pan and in center. Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes, until dark
golden brown. Preparation for rum sauce: Using a double broiler, melt
butter, then add sugar, egg, and rum to taste. Make sure the mixture doesn't
boil or the sugar will crystallize. Pour rum sauce over hot bread pudding.