White Chocolate Cherry Bread Pudding

Entered for safe-keeping as a New Years Day Brunch recipe in Woman's World 12/31/07. Sweetened dried cranberries may be substituted for the dried cherries if you wish.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 6 cups

Ingredients

• 4  eggs
• 2  cups half-and-half
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 21  ounces  canned cherry pie filling, drained
• 10  ounces  challah or 10  ounces  other firm  bread, cut into 1-inch cubes, 6 cups
• 5  ounces dried cherries or 5  ounces dried sweetened cranberries, 1 cup
• 1⁄2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  tablespoon  sliced almonds
•  confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Coat 6-cup baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, whisk eggs with half and half, 1/2 cup sugar and almond extract until blended.
3. Stir in pie filling, bread, dried cherries (or cranberries) and chocolate chips.
4. Transfer to prepared 6-cup baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes to 12 hours. If refrigerated more than 30 minutes, let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before baking.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover baking dish; bake 30 minutes.
6. Uncover; sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until set and golden.
7. Let stand 20 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.