Tender Bread Pudding

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish. Place dish in large roasting pan. Stir half and half, sugar and salt in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute (mixture should still be cool). Whisk eggs in large bowl just until blended. Gradually but gently whisk in cream mixture so very little foam is created. Whisk in vanilla; set aside.

Arrange 4 bread slices in prepared dish. Spread evenly with 1/4 cup preserves. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, then raisins. Top with remaining 4 bread slices. Spread with remaining apricot preserves. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and nutmeg. Strain cream-egg mixture over bread in dish. Let stand 15 minutes for bread to absorb custard, occasion ally pushing bread down into custard. Pour enough barely warm water into roasting pan to come half way up sides of dish.

Bake pudding 20 minutes. Add several ice cubes to water in pan around pudding. Continue to bake until pudding is just set and small sharp knife inserted into center comes out almost clean, about 30 minutes. Remove roasting pan from oven. Let pudding stand in water bath 30 minutes. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, at least 4 hours. Cover and keep refrigerated up to 2 days.