King Cake Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf French bread
• 1 quart whole milk
• 1.5 cup sugar, seperated
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• Icing, and colored sugar
• 1/4 stick butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Butter a 9 inch casserole dish liberally with butter. Into the dish, break up the French bread into large pieces.

Combine milk and 1 cup sugar into a small sauce pot, and place on medium heat. Stir well to dissolve sugar, just until milk is warm. Heat until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat. Then mix remaining ½cup sugar with eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, orange zest, and salt, and beat well. Pour warm milk mixture into bowl with egg mixture, mix well, and pour the whole mixture over the bread. Let it saturate the bread for a few minutes and press the bread down below the surface of the milk. If more milk is necessary to cover the top of the bread you may add up to an additional cup of milk over the top. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until the entire pudding is puffy like a souffle. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes before eating. Cover with icing, powdered sugar, or dessert sauce of choice, just before serving.