PANETTONE PUDDING

Dessert

1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cups, firmly packed, 1" squares of panettone, custless
3 cups warm milk
4 whole eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Confictioner's sugar, ground cinnamon, whipped heavy cream to garnish

Preheat oven at 350, butter a rectangular pudding dish about 8x10x2".
Bake the panettone squares, until lightly toasted and crispy, then transfer them to the pudding dish and set aside. Switch off the oven!
In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar and cinnamon; whisk until light and fluffy, add warm milk and whisk until well blended.
Pour custard over toasted squares and set it in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or until the panettone is soft and thoroughly soaked with the custard. Since the panettone will float, often spoon some of the custard over the squares, making sure that they are completely immersed.
Heat oven again, but this time at 325.
Cover the pudding dish with buttered foil and set in a larger baking dish; poke a few holes in the foil with the tip of a sharp knfe to allow steam to escape.
Place in the center of preheated oven and fill the larger baking dish with very hot water that has to come half way up up the sides of the pudding dish.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until the custard is set: a toothpick, when inserted, should come out clean. Remove the pudding dish from oven and larger baking dish, uncover and let cool on a wire rack at room temperature.
When ready to serve, place the pudding dish in a 350 oven for 5 minutes.
Dust with a mix of confictioner's sugar and cinnamon and cut in squares: top each portion with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
This recipe serves 6 - 8 people.

You can avoid the first baking if you let the squares dry: it will happen if you make the two most recent recipes in separate times.