Bread Pudding Thanksgiving - cooking recipe

Ingredients

8 -10 ciabatta, slices
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cranberries
2 tablespoons chopped maple walnuts
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation

Grease 9x9 pan with butter and preheat oven to 350 f.
Mix in a mixer or beat thoroughly : milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt to form thin custard.
Add and mix by hand the remaining ingredients (cube or tear the bread first) into the liquid custard.
(I always eyeball this part, mixing the wet and dry -- usually I add the dry ingredients to a bowl, then pour the liquid until it covers a little more than half with liquid- enough that if you press down, the top parts get moist but not wet.).
Press lightly to encourage bread to absorb custard. Let sit in refrigerator for 1/2 hour to 6 hours, depending on how stale the bread is.
Pour into lightly buttered/greased 9x9 pan.
Bake in oven for 1/2 - 1 hour or until golden brown on top but of bread pudding consistency inside.