Into a buttered 2-quart flameproof gratin dish sprinkle the raisins, the currants, and the cherries. Trim each slice of the bread into a rough 4-inch circle, discarding the scraps, arrange the bread in one layer on top of the fruit, overlapping the slices slightly, and dot it with the butter. In a large bowl whisk together the whole eggs, the yolk, the granulated sugar, and the vanilla, add the milk, heated just to the boiling point, in a stream, whisking, and whisk the custard until it is smooth. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into another bowl, ladle it slowly over the bread, letting it soak into the bread gradually, and let the pudding stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Set the gratin dish in a pan filled with enough hot water to reach halfway up the side of the dish and bake the pudding in the middle of a preheated 300° F. oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until it is just set. Let the pudding cool for 20 minutes, sprinkle it with the confectioners sugar, and broil it under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 1 minute, or until it is golden. Serves 6