Cranberry Bread Pudding With Middle Eastern Flavors

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 cups milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar (i used half unbleached sugar and half dark brown sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
• 8 cups stale bread cubes
• 2/3 cup cranberry sauce
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 -3 tablespoons nuts, to garnish (i used slivered almonds although walnuts, pistachios,pecans, hazelnuts, etc. will work)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• 2 butter a baking dish large enough to hold 10 cups.
• 3 whisk together milk, eggs, sugar(s), vanilla extract, spices, orange zest and orange blossom water.
• 4 place half of the bread in the baking dish, spoon and spread the cranberry sauce on top; add the remaining bread cubes.
• 5 slowly pour milk mixture over the bread. allow to sit for 10 or 15 minutes before baking so bread absorbs the milk. (fresh bread might need to sit only 5 minutes. stale bread takes longer and might need a little periodic coaxing with a spoon to keep it under the milk.).
• 6 dot the bread with butter.
• 7 bake for about an hour (adding the almonds to the top the last 15 minutes) until puffed and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• 8 servings are estimated.
• 9 tasted good with a dollop of real whipped cream on top!