RAISIN MERINGUE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Toss the raisins with bread cubes; set aside.
• Combine brown sugar, salt, butter or margarine, vanilla, egg yolks and milk and beat until well-blended. Pour onto bread and raisins, toss to combine, and let sit for 1/2 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8" baking dish, or spray with non-stick spray. You will also need a larger, shallow baking pan.
• Set the larger pan on the oven rack and place the 8x8 dish inside. Fill the outside pan to 1 inch deep with hot water.
• Bake for about 50 minutes, or until just barely firm. While baking, prepare orange meringue.
• Remove pudding from oven and spread with meringue, making sure you bring it to the edges. Return to the oven for 10 minutes or until meringue is lightly brown.
• ORANGE MERINGUE;
• Beat egg whites until fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in grated orange peel. Spread on baked pudding.
• * If using raisin bread, cut back a bit on the raisins. Also,the original recipe called for 3 tbs. sugar in the meringue, which I found a bit sweet. I cut it down to about 2 1/2 tbs., use your personal taste.