Coconut Orange Bread Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 8 ounces hawaiian bread (or portuguese sweet bread, a loaf or dinner rolls)
• 8 ounces neufchatel light cream cheese, at room temperature (or regular cream cheese)
• 1 3/4 cups coconut syrup (or maple syrup)
• 10 large eggs
• 14 ounces coconut milk (1 can)
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut (or flaked dried coconut)
• 1/3 cup chopped roasted salted macadamia nut

Recipe

• 1 tear the bread into 1/2-inch chunks. in a food processor, whirl the chunks into coarse crumbs (or finely chop with a knife); you should have about 1 quart. pour into a buttered 3-quart shallow casserole; spread level.
• 2 in food processor, whirl cheese and 1/4 cup syrup until blended; or in a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat until blended. spoon evenly over bread (it doesn't need to cover bread completely).
• 3 in a bowl, whisk eggs to blend with 1/2 cup syrup, coconut milk, orange peel, orange juice, and nutmeg. pour evenly over cheese mixture and bread. cover casserole; chill at least 2 hours.
• 4 bake, uncovered, in a 350°f regular or 325 convection oven until center barely jiggles when casserole is gently shaken, 40 to 50 minutes. sprinkle top evenly with coconut and nuts; continue baking until coconut is lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes.
• 5 heat remaining 1 cup syrup in a microwave-safe pitcher in a microwave oven at full power (100%) until warm, about 40 seconds. serve pudding at once. add syrup to taste.
• 6 time does not include minimum 2 hour chill time.