Instructions: Note: This can be assembled the night before, then baked the next day.

To make orange custard: Warm together milk, cream, orange zest and sugar.

Remove from heat, cover and let steep until liquid has a good orange flavor, at least 1 hour.

Gently beat egg yolks and whisk a small amount of warm milk mixture into them. Whisk in remaining milk mixture, vanilla and almond extracts, orange liqueur and cinnamon. Strain custard into a pitcher or bowl and discard orange zest. Refrigerate custard until assembling pudding.

To assemble almond bread pudding: Butter 2-quart baking dish or souffle mold.

In a mixing bowl, beat together egg white and almond paste until smooth. Spread spoonful of almond paste over one side of each bread slice. Layer bread slices in baking dish, almond paste side down. If you are using a round dish, first cut the slices of bread in half diagonally into triangles, so you can make layers of triangles arranged in a pinwheel pattern. Pour custard over bread and press bread down gently, so top layer will absorb custard. For the bread to become completely saturated, cover and refrigerate it for an hour or as long as overnight, pressing down the bread from time to time.

To bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle top of pudding very liberally with sugar and bake in a water bath (set dish in larger pan and pour in hot water until it reaches halfway up sides of pudding dish) until bread pudding is puffed in center and top has a rich golden color, about 1 hour. Serve warm.

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