Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place stale bread in a bowl.

Add milk to the bowl with bread.

Squeeze the bread until well saturated with milk.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until thick and pale.

Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, and raisins to the egg mixture.

Add the soaked bread crumbs to the egg mixture and stir well.

Let stand for 10 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the egg mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish.

Bake until firm, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Let it slightly cool in the dish.

While the pudding is baking, make the sauce.

Beat egg yolks with an electric mixer until thick and pale.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and sugar.

Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the egg yolks, beating constantly with the mixer, until well thickened.

Stir in bourbon by hand.

Serve the pudding warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Pass the hot bourbon sauce separately.