Italian Christmas Bread Pudding

Panettone~Italian Christmas Bread

At the Applesauce Inn B&B, I love to use Panettone in my breakfast bread pudding!  Panettone is very similar to Brioche~very moist and packed with flavor!  I always prepare the dish the night before, which allows for it to absorb all the yummy orange flavor!

Italian Christmas Bread Pudding

• 1 (12 ounce) panettone, cubed
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• Sauce:
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Arrange the panettone bread cubes to fit compactly into a buttered 2 quart casserole dish. Do not compress too tightly; set aside any leftover bread cubes.
2. Whisk together 3 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture becomes light yellow in color. Pour in the cream, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon orange liqueur; whisk to combine. Stir in 1 pinch salt, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, lemon zest, and orange zest. Pour this mixture over the panettone cubes in the casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Remove the bread from the refrigerator, uncover, and dot the top of the bread pudding with 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of white sugar.
5. Just before serving, make the sauce by melting 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup orange liqueur, 3 tablespoons water, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir and heat over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid is heated through. Remove from heat.
6. In a small mixing bowl, whisk 1 egg until well beaten. While whisking the egg, slowly pour 2 tablespoons of the hot mixture into the bowl with the egg. Then, while whisking mixture vigorously, slowly pour the warmed egg mixture back into the sauce.
7. Place the saucepan back over low heat, gently stirring the sauce and raising the temperature slowly to medium. Continue to stir until the sauce almost reaches a simmer, reducing the heat as necessary if the mixture threatens to boil. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon over the bread pudding and serve immediately.