Cherry Chocolate Almond Croissant Bread Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or 1 1/2 cups light cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 3 large croissant, halved horizontally
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate piece, ground*
• 1 (21 ounce) can lucky leaf cherry pie filling
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• vanilla ice cream (optional)

Recipe

• 1 1. preheat oven to 350°f spread butter on bottom and sides of a 9- to 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. in a shallow container combine eggs, half-and-half, and almond extract; add croissants. let soak 3 minutes, turning once. place bottom halves of croissants, cut-side-up, in the prepared dish. sprinkle with 1/2 of the chocolate. spoon on 1/2 cup lucky leaf cherry pie filling and 1/2 cup of the nuts. add croissant tops, cut-sides down, remaining chocolate, another 1/2 cup pie filling and the remaining nuts. pour on any remaining egg mixture.
• 2 2. bake, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes or until center is set. cool on wire rack about 30 minutes.
• 3 3. heat remaining lucky leaf cherry pie filling and pass with bread pudding. serve with ice cream, if desired.