Layered Almond Cream Cheese Bread Pudding with Amaretto Cream Sauce

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 (16-ounce) loaf honey white bread, sliced and divided
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 9 large eggs, divided
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• 11/4 cups almond filling, plus 2 tablespoons almond filling
• 1 cup butter, melted and divided
• 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
• Dash salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• Amaretto Cream Sauce, recipe follows

1. Coat a 13 by 9 by 3-inch pan with cooking spray.
2. Arrange 4 1/2 bread slices in bottom of prepared pan, cutting slices, as necessary, to fit pan.
3. Beat cream cheese, 1 egg, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth.
4. Spread half of cream cheese mixture over bread.
5. Whisk together 1 1/4 cups almond filling and 1/2 cup melted butter.
6. Spread half of almond mixture over cream cheese mixture.
7. Repeat layers once, using 4 1/2 bread slices, remaining cream cheese mixture, and remaining almond mixture.
8. Cut remaining bread slices into 1-inch cubes, sprinkle evenly over almond mixture.
9. Whisk together remaining 8 eggs, remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla, half-and-half, and salt; pour over bread cubes.
10. Cover and chill 30 minutes or until most of egg mixture is absorbed.
11. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
12. Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons almond filling, 2 tablespoons sugar, and egg yolk until blended.
13. Drizzle evenly over bread pudding; sprinkle with almonds.
14. Bake for 1 hour or until set.
15. Serve warm or chilled with Amaretto Cream Sauce.
16. "The recipes for this program, which were provided by contributors and guests who may not be professional chefs, have not been tested in the Food Network's kitchens.
17. They have been tested in the Southern Living Test Kitchens.
18. All brand names have been removed from these recipes, which originally appeared on southernlivingcookoff.com."
19. 1/2 cup amaretto liqueur
20. 2 tablespoons cornstarch
21. 11/2 cups whipping cream
22. 1/2 cup sugar
23. Combine amaretto and cornstarch, stirring until smooth.
24. Cook cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, just until bubbles appear; gradually stir in amaretto mixture.
25. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and boil, stirring constantly, 30 seconds.
26. Remove from heat; stir in sugar, and let cool completely.
27. Note: For testing purposes only, we used Solo Almond Filling.
28. Yield: about 2 1/2 cups
29. Prep Time: 5 minutes
30. Cook Time: 10 minutes
31. Inactive Prep Time:

vegetable cooking spray, honey white bread, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla, almond filling, butter, salt, egg yolk, almonds, cream sauce

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/layered-almond-cream-cheese-bread-pudding-with-amaretto-cream-sauce-recipe.html (may not work)