Boiling water, as needed

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Whipped cream, for garnish (optional)

1. Grease a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the bread and the berries in the dish, making sure that they are evenly distributed.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the whole eggs and egg yolks on medium speed until they are frothy. Add the sugar and beat until thick and lemon colored, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, add the milk, mix to combine. Add the vanilla and nutmeg, mix to combine.

3. Ladle the custard over the bread. Let the pudding sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour to help the bread absorb the custard, occasionally pushing the bread down with a wooden spoon. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 F.

4. Place the baking dish in a larger baking pan. Pour almost-boiling water into the larger baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the pudding dish. Place the pudding in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

5. Using long oven mitts to protect your hands, push the bread down with a large wooden spoon. The remaining liquid custard will rise to the surface. Spoon the custard evenly over the bread slices. Bake for about 10 minutes more, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out barely clean.

6. Remove the pudding from the oven. Dust the top with the confectioners' sugar using a fine-mesh sieve, and let rest on a rack for about 10 minutes. Serve in squares alone or with whipped cream.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)