Southern-Style Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 6 cups cubes bread italian
• 4 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 5 cups half-and-half 
• 1 tablespoon honey plus more if desired
• 2 teaspoons juice of lime fresh
• 2 cups raspberries for garnish (3 reserved )
• 0.3 teaspoon salt fine
• 2 cups strawberries sliced
• 0.8 cup sugar 
• 4 tablespoons butter unsalted softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 10 servings whipped cream for serving

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• sieve
• baking pan
• stove
• microwave

Directions

1. For the bread pudding: Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
2. Put the bread cubes in the dish.
3. Whisk together the half-and-half, 3/4 cup of the sugar, vanilla, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, salt and eggs in a large bowl.
4. Pour this mixture over the bread. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a microwave or on the stove and drizzle over the top of the bread pudding.
6. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.
7. Place on the center rack in the oven.
8. Bake until the edges start to rise, a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean and the pudding jiggles when shaken, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a rack 35 to 40 minutes before serving.
9. For the sauce: Puree the berries in food processor. Press through a fine-mesh strainer. Stir in the honey and lime juice. Taste and adjust with more honey if it's not sweet enough for you.
10. Serve the bread pudding with a drizzle of sauce.
11. Garnish with additional berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.