Almond Cranberry Bread Pudding with vanilla bean

Almond Cranberry Bread Pudding with vanilla bean

Makes about 4 servings

1 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk

½ cup. half & half

2 T. unsalted butter

half a vanilla bean, broken in pieces ( or 1 t. vanilla, but it won't be as good)

about 2 baguettes with crusts removed cut into 1” square pieces

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp orange zest

3 egg yolks, beaten

3 T. sugar, plus more for sprinkling

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup sliced raw almonds

Amaretto liquor

Butter 4 small ovenproof ramekins, or one larger dish

Preheat oven to 350F.

Reconstitute dried cranberries in a bowl covered with Amaretto liquor for approximately 30 minutes

Heat the almond milk, half & half, vanilla bean, cinnamon, ginger, sugar, orange zest and butter in a saucepan. Do not boil - just heat until it's hot.

Place the bread in a large bowl

Remove hot milk mixture from heat.

Pour a little hot milk into the eggs, stirring, then a little more.

Tip the yolk mixture into the warm milk, whisking all the while ( so it won't curdle.)

Remove the vanilla bean (scrape some of the delicious seeds into the milk)

Pour the milk/egg mixture over the bread, add almonds and let sit ten minutes

Drain Amaretto from cranberries

Arrange the bread and milk/egg mixture in dishes, layered with cranberries

Transfer dishes or dish to a baking pan that has been filled with an inch of hot water.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until bread is golden and custard is set. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Pair with a 2007 Robert Sinskey Late Harvest Pinot Gris.