Cranberry-Coconut Bread Pudding Pie

Beautiful and very easy dessert for the cranberry season.

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1  cup dried sweetened cranberries
• 1⁄2 cup spiced rum
• 3  large eggs
• 3  large  egg yolks
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2  cups heavy cream
• 1 3⁄4 cups milk
• 8  ounces  loaf  Italian bread (preferably day-old)
• 1  cup sweetened flaked coconut

• For the Cranberry-Rum Sauce

• 1  cup  canned jellied cranberry sauce
• 2  tablespoons spiced rum (use the reserved liquid from soaking the cranberries)
• 2  tablespoons water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Put dried cranberries and spiced rum in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute or until hot. Remove and let stand 15 minutes or until cranberries are softened and plumped. Drain, reserving liquid for the Cranberry-Rum Sauce (about 2 Tbsp).
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350ºF. You’ll need a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate and a large roasting pan. Bring about 8 cups water to a boil in microwave or on stove.
3. . Whisk eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl until blended. Whisk in heavy cream and milk. Set aside.
4. Slice bread into 3/4-in. slices. Reserve 10 of the nicest (for the “crust”), then cut remaining into bite-size chunks.
5. Dip each of the 10 slices of bread into the egg mixture until generously and evenly moistened. Arrange the slices vertically around the edge of the dish. (The slices should extend a little above the rim.) Press the bottoms of the slices against the dish to fit its shape.
6. In a large bowl, toss remaining bread chunks, the drained cranberries and 3/4 cup of the coconut. Fill center of pie plate with mixture. Pour egg mixture evenly over top, making sure to soak all the bread pieces. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut.
7. Put pie plate into roasting pan; place on oven rack. Pour hot water into pan to come about halfway up sides of pie plate.
8. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until golden and firm in center. Serve warm with Cranberry-Rum Sauce.
9. Cranberry-Rum Sauce: In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk cranberry sauce, spiced rum , water and vanilla extract. Microwave on high 2 minutes. Whisk and microwave 1 minute more until smooth and hot.