Eggnog & Dried Cherry Bread Pudding

This came from Good Housekeeping Nov'04. I love bread pudding, and eggnog - so it's a perfect fit for me. Now, I just need a reason to make it.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 6  ounces  day-old French bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1⁄2 cup dried tart cherry
• 4  large eggs
• 1⁄4 cup dark rum (optional)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  quart  prepared  eggnog
• 1  cup vanilla ice cream

Directions

1. Grease a shallow 2-quart casserole dish. Place bread in casserole; sprinkle with cherries.
2. In a medium bowl, mix eggs until well beaten. Add rum, if using, cinnamon, and salt, whisking until blended. Stir in eggnog. Pour eggnog mixture over bread, pressing bread into custard.
3. Cover and refrigerate bread mixture for 30 minutes or overnight to allow bread to absorb custard, stirring once.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread pudding, uncovered, 50 to 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes.
5. Just before serving, place ice cream in small microwaveable serving bowl; heat in microwave oven on High 30-35 seconds, stirring once. Remove bowl from microwave and stir until smooth, but still thick and cool.
6. Serve 'sauce' with warm bread pudding.