Cranberry Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups Cranberry Compote or Sauce (see recipe)
• 1 cup pecan pieces, toasted and rough chopped
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 8 slices day-old brioche, French bread or other white bread, crusts removed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 4 cups)
• Bourbon Spiced Cream, recipe follows
• Shaker confectioners' sugar
• Sprigs fresh mint

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 6-cup (9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 3/4-inch) loaf pan with butter.

Whisk together eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and cranberry sauce until very smooth. Stir in half-and-half. bread and pecans. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until the pudding is set in the center, about 55 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.

To serve, cut the pudding into 1-inch thick slices. Top with the Bourbon Spiced cream. Garnish with confectioners' sugar and mint.

FRESH CRANBERRY COMPOTE:

• 1/2 pound fresh cranberries
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Put the cranberries, orange and lemon zest, orange and lemon juice, sugar, vanilla, and 1 1/2 cups of the water in a medium-size nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/2 cup of water and add to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, then stir constantly until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Yield: 2 cups

BOURBON SPICED CREAM:

• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Beat the cream and bourbon with an electric mixer on high speed in a large mixing bowl for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and beat again until the mixture thickens and forms stiff peaks, another 1 to 2 minutes. Yield: 4 cups