Bread and Butter Pudding

This recipe is from Earth to Table, Seasonal Recipes from an Organic Farm, by Jeff Crump.  It's a beautiful new cookbook that I picked up.  This is the first thing I've made from it, and it turned out fantastic.

This is the original recipe, which serves at least 12.  Definitely feel free to half it.

1/4 c dried currants

1/4 c dried cherries

(Note: I used a dried mix of raisins, cherries, cranberries and currants.)

16 cups cubed day-old bread, preferably real-butter croissants or brioche

(I used a big package of croissants from the HEB deli)

6 eggs

1 c sugar (I used white, but I bet brown would be tasty, or maple syrup)

3 c cream

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange

1/4 c chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 c maple syrup

 1. Preheat oven to 350.  Place dried fruit in a bowl and cover with hot water; set aside for between 10 minutes and one hour.

2.  Place bread cubes in a shallow baking dish (I used my largest skillet).

3.  In a bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar.  Stir in cream, nutmeg, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange zest and orange juice.

4.  Drain dried fruit and sprinkle over bread cubes, along with pecans.  Pour in egg mixture, pushing bread down into the liquid.  Cover with foil.

5.  Place baking dish in a large roasting pan.  Place in oven and pour in enough hot water to come halfway up sides of dish.  Bake 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake until golden and puffed, about 15 minutes.  Pour maple syrup over top.