Cherry Strata From The Heritage Inn With Cherry Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 12 cups cubed italian bread, 1/2-inch cubes (day old)
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 (14 ounce) can cherries
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Recipe

• 1 for strata, place 8 cups of bread cubes in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
• 2 in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and extract until smooth. stir in cherries and pecans.
• 3 spoon over bread cubes. top with remaining bread cubes. in bowl, whisk eggs, cream, and remaining sugar; pour over bread.
• 4 bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until browned.
• 5 let cool 5 minutes and drizzle servings with cherry sauce.
• 6 for cherry sauce, combine cherries, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
• 7 reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. remove from heat and stir in almond extract.