Italian Bread Pudding with Blueberry Compote

Place diced bread in a standard size bread pan.

In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar until well combined. Pour egg mixture over bread and allow to soak in until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cover bread pan with foil and bake for 45–60 minutes until bread pudding is firm and all the liquid is gone. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes; this can be made 1 to 3 days in advance if needed.

For the orange-flavored mascarpone: In a mixing bowl, combine mascarpone cheese, sugar, and orange zest until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to assemble dessert.

For the blueberry compote: In a small saucepan, combine blueberries and sugar. Cook over medium heat, smashing blueberries until blueberries turn bright purple, about 5–10 minutes.

To assemble: Slice bread pudding into three 1/2 ” thick pieces and sauté in a pan over medium heat with the butter, about 1 minute on each side. On a plate, spread 1/2 cup orange-flavored mascarpone, then layer bread pudding slices and top with blueberry compote. Enjoy.