Bread Pudding

• 1 loaf challah bread, cubed
• 2 tbsp dried lavender, lightly crushed
• 2½ cups milk
• 2½ cups light cream
• 4 whole eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1½ tsp orange zest
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups (1 lb or 7-8 stalks) thinly-sliced rhubarb
• sprinkle of turbinado (raw) sugar
• nonstick cooking spray

Pomegranate Whipped Cream (optional)

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp confectioners sugar
• 3 tbsp pomegranate syrup/molasses

Equipment

• 9" x 13" baking dish
• microplane/zester
• baking sheet

Toast Bread

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Spread cubed challah bread on a baking sheet in an even layer (you may need to distribute between two sheets so that bread cubes do not overlap), and bake 8-10 minutes. until golden brown. Remove the toasted bread from the oven and set aside

Mix Flavorings, Dairy & Bread

1. Drop oven temperature down to 325º
2. In a large bowl, add lavender and crush the buds lightly with the back of a spoon. Add milk, light cream, lightly beaten eggs (beating with a fork just to break up yolks is enough), orange zest, sugar, honey and vanilla extract.  Mix ingredients together
3. Fold the toasted bread into the bowl until bread is well coated, then let soak for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally

Add Rhubarb & Bake

1. While bread is soaking, trim and discard ends and leaves of rhubarb stalks. Gently wash under cold running water, then slice stalks thinly
2. Mix sliced rhubarb into the bread mixture
3. Lightly spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and pour the mixture into the baking dish
4. Sprinkle top with turbinado sugar, cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until golden brown (the inside should still be slightly wet)
5. Let sit for 20-30 minutes before serving

Make Pomegranate Whipped Cream (optional)

1. Add heavy cream to a mixing bowl
2. With a stand or hand mixer, whip cream to soft peaks
3. Carefully fold in sugar and pomegranate syrup
4. Ready to use immediately or chill 5-10 minutes

Rhubarb Buying Advice from Chef Todd: Rhubarb colors range from red to green (fresh local rhubarb tends to be on the green side). Stalks should be firm with no discoloration. You don't need to peel (old wives' tale!) and don't eat any of the leaves!