Panettone Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce

I made Panettone Bread Pudding this afternoon. I love this Italian bread that you can only find in the states around Christmas. I usually stock up when it comes into season. I find it at Sam's; this year I bought four loaves. I have a recipe to make the bread from the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book, I even bought the Panettone paper wraps from King Arthur Flour to bake the bread in, but I didn't get around to it this year. I also make French toast with the Panettone, it is delicious.

Panettone Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce

Sauce:
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup half and half
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup amaretto liqueur
5 teaspoons cornstarch

Pudding:
1 (2-pound) loaf panettone bread, crusts trimmed, bread cut into 1-inch cubes
8 jumbo eggs
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups sugar

To make the sauce:
Bring the cream, milk, and sugar to a boil in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. In a small bowl, mix the amaretto and cornstarch to blend and then whisk into the cream mixture. Simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Set aside and keep warm. (The amaretto sauce can be made 3 days ahead, cover and refrigerate, re-warm before serving.) Personally, I don't cook this too long after I add the Amaretto, I do not want to cook the alcohol up, I think it reduces the flavor.

To make the bread pudding: Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange the bread cubes in the prepared dish. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, milk, and sugar to blend. Pour the custard over the bread cubes, and press the bread cubes gently to submerge. Let stand for 30 minutes, occasionally pressing the bread cubes into the custard mixture. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point 2 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake until the pudding puffs and is set in the center, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. Spoon the bread pudding into bowls, drizzle with the warm amaretto sauce, and serve.
Paula Deen says on her show, "I wish we had "smell-a-vision" so you could smell this wonderful........" I wish we had "smell-a-blog" so you could smell this wonderful Panettone Bread Pudding or better yet, "taste-a-blog" so I could share a bowl with you.
I have no self control, I had to sample it HOT OUT OF THE OVEN. Don will have to heat his up when he gets home. (if there's any left)