While watching the election unfold on TV, I can't think of anything I would like better than diving into this comforting dessert. Instead of biting my nails as the night goes on, I intend to dip my spoon many times into a luscious bread pudding.

Served in souffle dishes, in individual ramekins or in a shallow baking dish, bread puddings are difficult to resist because of their old-fashioned quality. You'll find many variations of this home-spun classic made from leftover bread and rich custard across our great country.

Fresh, tart berries are paired with the sweet custard here. The top becomes brown and crisp, while the inside remains moist with the texture of pudding. Use challah, brioche, raisin bread or even sweet corn bread, and allow it to dry out for a day so that it will absorb the custard. You can do this by putting it out on the counter overnight or in a 250 F oven for 30 minutes. It is also important to let the bread absorb the custard fully by allowing it to sit until you can feel that a cube is soaked through to the center. Lastly, a water bath is used to control the cooking temperature so that the custard does not overcook and curdle.

I have served this pudding as a dessert and also as a main course for a morning meal. My advice is to enjoy it for dessert with a dollop of fluffy whipped cream. If you have any left over, serve the next day for breakfast. Warm it up and serve it with a big dollop of your favorite yogurt. If you are up to it, add some crisp bacon or grilled sausages to the menu. It will be especially comforting if your candidate didn't win!

Tasty Tips

--If you make this dessert in ramekins, you can unmold them onto individual plates.

--Look for berries that are dry, free of bruises and evenly colored; raspberries are very perishable, so be gentle when rinsing them.

--The dessert can be prepared up to four hours ahead of time, then covered and left at room temperature. You can also refrigerate it and eat it cold the next day.

--Make the pudding a day ahead and undercook it by 15 minutes so you can finish baking it the next day. Simply refrigerate it, remove the next day, bring to room temperature and finish baking for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Election Day Bread Pudding

Serves 6 to 8

8 cups cubed (1-inch cubes) day-old challah, country bread or brioche

1 1/2 cups blueberries

1 1/2 cups raspberries

6 large whole eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3 cups milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

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.)