Cranberry Bread Pudding

The luscious caramel sauce makes this fruity cranberry bread pudding almost impossible to resist.



PREP: 20 minutes
BAKE: 1 hour
OVEN: 325°F
MAKES: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk
4 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup half-and-half or light cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces Vienna bread or challah, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups) and dried*
¾ cup dried cranberries
1 recipe Caramel-Orange Sauce

PREPARATION
1. In a medium bowl whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, half-and-half, cinnamon, and vanilla.
2. In a very large bowl combine the dry bread cubes and cranberries. Pour milk mixture over bread cube mixture. Stir until bread has soaked up all the milk mixture. Transfer bread cube mixture to a heavily greased 2-quart square baking dish.
3. Bake, uncovered, in a 325°F oven about 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool slightly. Serve warm with Caramel-Orange Sauce.

CAKAMEL-ORANGE SAUCE: In a heavy medium saucepan combine 1/3 cup butter or margarine, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/3 cup whipping cream. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Stir in 1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted; 1 tablespoon orange liqueur; and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Serve immediately.

MAKE-AHEAD DIRECTIONS: Prepare the Carmel-Orange Sauce up to 3 days ahead. Let it cool. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Reheat just before serving.

*NOTE: To dry bread cubes, spread cubes in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until bread cubes are dry, stirring once. Cool. (Bread cubes will continue to dry and crisp as they cool.) Or let bread cubes stand, loosely covered, at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.

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