End-of-summer bread pudding recipe

Ingredients

• 8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed per package instructions
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted or butter-flavored cooking spray
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Pinch salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten, at room temperature
• 2 cups mixed berries

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the paper. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo on top and brush with melted butter or spray with cooking spray. Lay another on top and repeat the process until all 8 sheets are layered and buttered. You don’t have to be too dainty here since they will be broken up for the custard. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown, remove, and let cool.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla bean, almond extract, and a pinch of salt and bring up to a strong simmer over medium-high heat. Be careful because it can boil over really easily (has happened to me too many times to count)! Remove from the heat and let steep covered for 10 minutes.
4. Ladle a bit of the hot milk mixture into the beaten eggs and whisk. You want to slowly bring the eggs up to temperature. Keep adding the hot milk, a little bit at a time, whisking in between each addition until the milk and eggs are thoroughly combined.
5. Grease a 9" round cake pan and place on a baking sheet (to catch any juices that might drip). Break the phyllo sheets up into shards. Place half of the shards in the pan, top with 1 cup of the mixed berries, and pour half of the egg/milk mixture on top. Create another layer with the remaining phyllo, berries, and milk mixture.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Cool a bit before serving but definitely serve warm and preferably with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a bit more decadence.