Pear Bread Pudding

Bread pudding with a little more style.
Pear brandy lends a special touch.
This bread pudding is poached in
a water bath to seal in moisture.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup pear brandy
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (1 pound) loaves sliced artisan bread,
cut into 3/4 inch strips with crusts removed
4 pears - peeled, cored and sliced
2 cups heavy cream
1 pinch ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, stir together
the brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar,
flour, cinnamon and salt.
Mix in the butter and 1 tablespoon of vanilla
just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs,
1 cup white sugar, half-and-half,
1 teaspoon of vanilla, pear brandy and salt.
Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch
baking dish with a layer of bread.
Top with a layer of pear.
Pour about 1/4 of the custard over the
layers followed by about 1/3 of the heavy cream.
Sprinkle with some of the crumb topping.
Repeat layers until you are out of ingredients,
ending with the crumb topping on top.
Press down on the layers as needed
to help them absorb the liquid.
Cover the pan with parchment paper
then seal with aluminum foil.
Place another baking pan on top or two dinner plates
to keep it from puffing while it bakes.
Place the pudding onto a larger
pan or cookie sheet with sides.
Pour boiling water into the bottom
pan until it is half way full.
6.Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven,
then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
and continue baking for 25 minutes.
Pudding is done when a knife
inserted into the center comes out clean.