drunken cranberry bread pudding with spiced rum sauce

i wanted to add a little perkiness to my bread pudding this week, so i decided to add some drunken cranberries to the recipe. yum AND festive!

ingredients:

1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup grand marnier
1 cup orange juice

8 large eggs
3 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1-pound loaf raisin challah, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon cinnamon

preparation:

For the cranberries: soak cranberries, grand marnier, and OJ in a small bowl for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. 

Cube bread into 1" pieces and set aside.

 

Whisk eggs in large bowl. Add milk, sugar, cream, cinnamon and vanilla; whisk to blend well. 

Stir bread into liquid mixture, being sure the bread absorbs the liquid. 

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Bake pudding uncovered until puffed and golden, about 1 hour 15 minutes. If the top begins to brown too early, cover with a foil tent.

Cool slightly (pudding will fall). Serve warm with Spiced Rum Sauce.