First butter the slices of bread & then cut off all the crust. Layer the bottom of a 13x9 pan with a layer of bread. Next beat eggs, then add milk, cream, vanilla, caster sugar & rasins & blend well. Next pour half of the mixture over the bread slices. Add remaining slices of bread on top and add remaining egg mixture. Let sit 5 min for bread to soak up the liquid. Place pan in a larger pan filled 1/3 way with hot water. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. When done, sprinkle top with the confectionary sugar and place under broiler for 2-3 min until golden brown. Remove and brush preserves over the top very lightly. Chill several hours. ****Note, this is a very rich dessert, this should serve 8-10 people, but don't expect any leftovers!
