Potato Bread Pudding with Mascarpone, White Chocolate and Dried Cherries, and Praline Creme Anglaise

1. For pudding, preheat oven to 375 F. Butter 2-inch deep hotel pan generously with butter.

2. In large bowl, combine bread cubes, dried cherries and white chocolate chunks; mix well. Transfer to prepared pan.

3. In mixing bowl, combine mascarpone and eggs; mix until well blended. Add half-and-half, sugar, vanilla and spices. Beat well until blended.

4. Pour liquid mixture over the bread mixture in pan, pressing bread into liquid to immerse it well. Bake pudding about 1 hour or until top is puffed and lightly browned.

5. Meanwhile, prepare crème Anglaise: In mixer bowl, combine egg yolks, brown sugar and arrowroot; beat until light and fluffy.

6. In saucepan over medium heat, scald half-and-half until tiny bubbles appear around the edge. Gradually stir into egg mixture, a little at a time, folding together by hand, until well mixed. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon.

7. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath; place a large bowl in ice. Immediately remove crème Anglaise from heat and strain through a sieve into bowl in ice bath. Stir the mixture as it cools.

8. Dust bread pudding with confectioners’ sugar and serve with crème Anglaise.

Photograph courtesy of Idaho Potato Commission