How do YOU make a bread pudding?

[ipsedixit]

Assuming you do make one that is. The sweet kind, to be specific.

Bread pudding is pretty basic at its core -- cubed bread, custard base, and maybe some sort of fruit (e.g. raisins or apples) -- but everyone has their variations or twists to make it special or unique.

What's yours?

A little alcohol like rum or bourbon?

Some exotic spices like cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, or whatever? Maybe even mint or peppercorns?

Perhaps you like it a bit more decadent with things like chocolate?

OR ditch the bread entirely and use something Paula Deen-ish like donuts?

What say you?

[gordeaux]

I use a hint of Mccormick's "butternut" extract.
And as always, too much butter.
I'm not a fan of raisins at all in baking. I'll do a standard regular bread pudding, (key is to let it SOAK before baking!!) Chocolate chips would be the only "big" add in. For sauce, simple, pureed strawberries with a tiny bit of sugar. The butternut extract though, I REALLY like what it does to bread pudding.

[drloripalooza]

Cardamon, honey, lemon zest (just a little), rose water, saffron, caramelize it a little. Light custard.

[deet13]

I like to add a cup or so of bourbon and a couple of cups of heavy cream to the pudding mix, and then about 1/3 a cup of vanilla infused whiskey to the sauce, to top the pudding with.