Spiced Bread Pudding

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 14
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup raisins or 1 cup currants or 1 cup dried cranberries or 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 8 cups bite-size pieces stale bread
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 teaspoons grand marnier
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons cold water
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup dark rum or 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Recipe

• 1 do not preheat oven; grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and set aside.
• 2 in a large bowl, combine the sugar, raisins, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom.
• 3 add the bread pieces and toss well to combine; set aside.
• 4 in another bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla to blend.
• 5 pour the liquid over the bread mixture and stir until the bread pieces have absorbed the liquid.
• 6 pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• 7 place on a rack in the center of a cold oven and set the oven to 350°.
• 8 bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until golden brown.
• 9 transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.
• 10 serve warm drizzled with either the strawberry sauce or hard sauce.
• 11 strawberry sauce-in a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries, grand marnier, and sugar.
• 12 cover and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
• 13 in a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the water; stir to blend.
• 14 gradually stir the cornstarch mixture into the strawberry mixture.
• 15 cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and cool slightly; serve warm.
• 16 hard sauce-in the bowl of an electric mixer set on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light.
• 17 add the rum or brandy, vanilla, and nutmeg; beat for 5 minutes; serve at room temperature.