Panettone Bread Pudding with Spiced Orange Sauce

Recipe View Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). (5 minutes)

Recipe View Butter a 2-quart casserole dish. Arrange panettone cubes in the dish, ensuring they fit snugly but are not overly compressed. Set aside any leftover cubes. (10 minutes)

Recipe View In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is pale yellow. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Gradually whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon orange liqueur until well combined. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Stir in the pinch of salt, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, lemon zest, and orange zest. Pour this mixture evenly over the panettone cubes in the casserole dish. (3 minutes)

Recipe View Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, to allow the bread to soak up the custard. (30 minutes)

Recipe View Remove the bread pudding from the refrigerator, uncover, and dot the top with the 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle evenly with the 2 tablespoons of sugar. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Place the casserole dish inside a larger, shallow baking pan. Carefully pour hot water into the outer pan to create a water bath, ensuring the water reaches about 1 inch up the sides of the casserole dish. (3 minutes)

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the pudding is set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (75 minutes)

Recipe View Carefully remove the bread pudding from the water bath and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. (15 minutes)

Recipe View While the bread pudding is baking, prepare the Spiced Orange Sauce: In a saucepan over low heat, melt the 1/2 cup butter. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Stir in the 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup orange liqueur, 3 tablespoons water, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Increase the heat to medium and stir continuously until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is heated through. Remove from heat. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg until well beaten. (1 minute)

Recipe View While whisking the egg constantly, slowly drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of the hot butter mixture to temper the egg. (1 minute)

Recipe View Gradually pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining sauce. Whisk continuously to combine. (1 minute)

Recipe View Return the saucepan to low heat and gently stir the sauce, allowing the temperature to rise slowly to medium. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to let the sauce boil. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Spoon the warm Spiced Orange Sauce generously over the bread pudding and serve immediately. Garnish with extra orange zest, if desired.