Cherry Turnover Bread Pudding With White Chocolate

I came up with this when I needed a dessert for a dinner party and didn't feel like running to the store for ingredients. I happened to have some wonderfully flaky cherry turnovers from a local bakery and some croissants, and thought, "Bread Pudding. Why not?" Everyone at the dinner party moaned in pleasure when I served this warm with vanilla bean ice cream :) **NOTE: the ingredients should read "3 cherry turnovers," but the computer doesn't recognize it. So the nutritional value will be off, but let's face it, if you're making this recipe, you're not concerned with calories today :)

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 3  cherries, turnovers
• 3  butter croissants
• 1  quart milk (could use part milk, part whipping cream if you're feelin' dangerous)
• 1⁄2 cup butter, melted
• 1⁄4 cup white sugar
• 1  cup brown sugar, divided
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon allspice
• 4  eggs
• 1  tablespoon vanilla
• 1  tablespoon vanilla vodka (orange liqueur would be fantastic as well)
• 6  ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup dried tart cherry (could use craisins)

Directions

1. Break the turnovers and croissants into chunks in a large bowl.
2. Add the white sugar, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, nutmeg, allspice and melted butter and stir. *NOTE: depending on the sweetness of your turnovers, you may need less sugar. Mine were not terribly sweet.*.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, alternating with the milk and stirring well so that each egg is incorporated before adding the next one. Do this until all the eggs and milk are used.
4. Stir in the vanilla and vodka. Fold in the white chocolate chunks and cherries.
5. Pour into a buttered 2 quart cassarole dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly across the top of bread mixture. I grated an additional 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg over the top as well.
6. Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 1 hour.
7. Let cool 20 to 30 minutes as pudding will set firmer as it cools. Can be served warm or chilled. I love it warm with vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of sweetned whipped cream.