To prepare bread pudding, toss bread cubes with melted butter and 2 tahlespoons cinnamon-sugar mix. Place on baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop 2 peaches and combine with schnapps. Add to cream. Cover and refrigerate. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Bring milk, sugar and cinnamon to boil in small saucepan. Place eggs in stainless steel bowl and slowly drizzle milk mixture over eggs while whisking rapidly. Strain into cream mixture. Chop remairiing 6 peaches and add to cream mixture. Stir together bread cubes and peach mixture until liquid is absorbed.

Butter 4 individual souffle dishes. Coat with remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture. Divide bread pudding mixture equally among dishes. Bake at 325 degrees 25 minutes or until firm to the touch.

To prepare cream, bring cream, half and half and vanilla bean and seeds to boil in stainless steel saucepan. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in stainless steel bowl 2 minutes. Slowly add hot cream mixture, whisking, 1 minute. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until cream coats back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Do not allow to boil or it will curdle.

Strain mixture through fine sieve and cool completely. Add Southern Comfort. (Sauce may be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated until serving time.)

To serve, transfer pudding to serving plate. Spoon Southern Comfort cream around pudding and top with whipped cream, white chocolate shavings and sprinkle of cocoa powder. Makes 8-10 servings.

Washington Times Food Section