Kender Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 1-pound loaf French or Italian bread (see Cook's Note)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon or orange zest
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1.75 cups half-and-half
• {=amount1/c} {=amount1/c|egg|eggs} plus {=amount1/c} egg {=amount1/c|yolk|yolks}
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Instructions

1. With a rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. With the loaf right-side up, use a serrated knife to cut around the perimeter of the bread, about 1 inch from the sides, taking care to not pierce the bottom. Pull off the top of the bread and tear it into roughly 1-inch pieces. Hollow out the rest of the loaf by carefully tearing out the crumb in roughly 1-inch pieces. Set the bread shell aside and spread the torn pieces on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the bread pieces, tossing occasionally, until toasted and light golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet about halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Leave the oven on.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest and stir until moist and fragrant. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the lemon sugar, the brown sugar, and cinnamon, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar with your fingers, and set aside. In the large bowl with the lemon sugar, whisk in the half-and-half, eggs and egg yolks, vanilla, and 1 pinch salt and continue whisking until well blended. Add the toasted bread and raisins, then press and stir to submerge them as much as possible. Set aside to soak until the bread is thoroughly saturated, stirring and re-submerging occasionally, about 20 minutes.
4. Spread 3 tablespoons of the butter on the inside of the bread shell, then sprinkle with half of the brown sugar mixture. Place the bread shell on a rimmed baking sheet and fill with the soaked bread mixture, gently mounding it. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mixture over the surface of the filling and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
5. Bake the pudding until a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the baking sheet about halfway through. Set the pudding on a wire rack and let cool until just warm or at room temperature. Using a serrated knife, slice the pudding and serve.