SERVES 12

This recipe was named after Cortlandt Inge, chef and owner of the now-closed 14 South Restaurant in Fairhope, Alabama. Inge's whiskey sauce is what gives this bread pudding its deep, rich color.

FOR THE WHISKEY SAUCE:
1⁄2 lb. butter
1 1⁄3 cups light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1⁄4 cup whiskey
1 cup roasted, unsalted whole cashews
1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

FOR THE PUDDING:
1 tbsp. butter
1 1⁄2 cups milk
5 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
1 loaf Italian bread, cut into 1"-thick slices

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
2 cups chilled heavy cream
6 tbsp. brown sugar
4 tsp. whiskey
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. For the whiskey sauce: Put butter and sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir mixture with a wooden spoon until butter melts, then stop stirring and continue cooking until syrup reaches 280° on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in cream, whiskey, cashews, pecans, and vanilla, then set aside.

2. For the pudding: Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a medium baking dish and set aside. Beat together milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Soak bread slices in milk mixture, then fit snugly in a single layer in prepared dish (you may have to squeeze slices together). Pour any remaining milk mixture over bread. Spoon two-thirds of the whiskey sauce over bread and bake until crusty and brown, 45–50 minutes.

3. For the whipped cream: Beat together heavy cream, sugar, whiskey, and vanilla in a bowl until soft peaks form. Serve bread pudding with reserved whiskey sauce and whipped cream.