Pear Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 5 slices bread whole-wheat soft cut in half
• 0.3 pound cheddar thinly sliced
• 4  eggs 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 2  pears 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 cup sugar 
• 3 teaspoons butter unsalted
• 2 cups milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• baking pan

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 F. Butter a 9-inch square pan.
2. In a saucepan, heat milk, sugar, butter, and salt until small bubbles form. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, then add the warm milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly.
3. Layer the square pan with bread. Top with pears that have been peeled, cored, and cut into eighths.
4. Pour the milk-egg mixture into the baking pan and sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Top with Cheddar and bake until the cheese is melted, 5 to 10 minutes (optional).
6. Serve warm.