Cranberry Bread Pudding with Orange Hard Sauce

This bread pudding is made with croissants, layered with dried cranberries, and flavored with pumpkin pie spice and orange. It's served with a thickened orange sauce.

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Ingredients:

• Pudding:
• 14 ounces (approximately 7 large) stale croissants, cut into 1-inch cubes and lightly toasted
• 1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted & cooled
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• Topping:
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Orange Sauce:
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 2 1/2-quart (9x11 x3-inch) baking dish. Arrange half of the croissants pieces in the bottom of the prepared dish; sprinkle with all the cranberries, then cover with remaining croissants. Set aside. Combine eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 cup brown sugar, the melted butter, salt, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, orange zest and juice in a blender container; pulse until well combined. Pour the mixture over the croissant cubes, pressing down with back of large spoon to moisten. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Combine the second 1/2 cup of brown sugar and the pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl; sprinkle on top. Put the dish in a large roasting pan; transfer the pan to the middle shelf of the oven. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake until the custard is softly set, about 55 minutes. While the pudding bakes, prepare the Orange Sauce: Combine butter, the 1 cup brown sugar, the flour, salt, water, zest, juice and vanilla in a heavy 2-quart saucepan; cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and looks syrupy. Allow the pudding to cool about 20 minutes before serving. Pass the sauce separately in a sauce boat.

Notes: A delicious, down-home flavor makes this pudding a wonderful addition to the holiday dessert table.

Number of servings: 8 to 10

Submitted By: Mary Bergfeld
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