Panettone Bread Pudding with Spiced Orange Sauce

Step 1
Arrange the panettone bread cubes to fit compactly into a buttered 2 quart casserole dish. Do not compress too tightly; set aside any leftover bread cubes.

Step 2
Whisk together 3 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture becomes light yellow in color. Pour in the cream, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon orange liqueur; whisk to combine. Stir in 1 pinch salt, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, lemon zest, and orange zest. Pour this mixture over the panettone cubes in the casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 3
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 4
Remove the bread from the refrigerator, uncover, and dot the top of the bread pudding with 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of white sugar.

Step 5
Set casserole dish into a shallow pan that is 2 to 3 inches larger in diameter than the casserole dish. Set these pans onto the center rack of the preheated oven. Pour hot water into the outside pan, until it reaches a depth of 1 inch around the casserole dish, creating a water bath.

Step 6
Bake the pudding in the water bath until it is fully set and a knife inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. The water bath will help the pudding to cook evenly and maintain a light texture. Carefully remove the pudding from the water bath and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Step 7
Just before serving, make the sauce by melting 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup orange liqueur, 3 tablespoons water, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir and heat over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid is heated through. Remove from heat.

Step 8
In a small mixing bowl, whisk 1 egg until well beaten. While whisking the egg, slowly pour 2 tablespoons of the hot mixture into the bowl with the egg. Then, while whisking mixture vigorously, slowly pour the warmed egg mixture back into the sauce.

Step 9
Place the saucepan back over low heat, gently stirring the sauce and raising the temperature slowly to medium. Continue to stir until the sauce almost reaches a simmer, reducing the heat as necessary if the mixture threatens to boil. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon over the bread pudding and serve immediately.