Delicious Bread Pudding

This is my favorite way to use leftover bread, especially raisin or breakfast bread that my family enjoys for dessert, but leftover are delicious topped with cream for breakfast. Recipe source: Bon Appetit (October 1984)

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1  loaf  bread, torn into small pieces (I like breakfast or raisin bread)
• 4  cups milk
• 1  cup  whipping cream
• 5  eggs, beaten
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine, melted
• 1  tablespoon orange zest
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄2-1  cup raisins (I add raisins if not using raisin bread) (optional)
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 cup butter or 1⁄4 cup margarine

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
3. In a large bowl, combine bread, milk and cream. Chop with two knives to combine well. Let stand 10 minutes.
4. Stir in eggs, sugar, melted butter, orange peel, vanilla, cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon), nutmeg and raisins (if using).
5. Pour into prepared pan.
6. To make topping: combine sugar (1/2 cup), water and cinnamon (1 teaspoon) in a small bowl.
7. Sprinkle over bread pudding mixture and dot with butter.
8. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until tester comes out clean (I use a knife to test for doneness).
9. Cool in pan on rack and cut into squares to serve.
10. Delicious topped with whipped cream.