My Don Q Rum, Cranberries, Coconut Bread Pudding, with a Warm Praline Rum Sauce!

I have been making the traditional bread pudding since I was a teenager. But as an adult, I modified the recipe to put my own print on it. My current recipe blends two outstanding flavors; an amazing Puerto Rican Rum and a yummy New Orleans Praline Sauce.
 
Don Q Rum is produced in Ponce, P.R., the city where I was born, by the Serrallés Family Distillery. To me and to millions, this is the best rum in the world. It has a delicate flavor that makes it versatile for any type of drink and it can also be used in desserts and sauces.
 
Thank you Serrallés Family for continuing providing the world such a fine rum!
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes
Approximate Cost: $18.01 or $1.20 per serving
Difficulty Level: _X_ Intermediate
Servings: About 15
 
Ingredients for the Bread Pudding ($9.71)
1 loaf French bread (at least one day old) ($2.99)
3 1/2 cups milk (a combo of Evaporated, $1.00, Half and Half, $1.39), Coconut milk ($1.25) ($3.64)
3 eggs (.48)
1 cup Organic blonde sugar (.50)
¾ cup cranberries (.40)
1 tbsp. of vanilla (.45)
2 tbsp. Don Q Rum (.60)
½ tsp. fresh ground nutmeg (.15)
1 tsp. ground ginger (.15)
1 tsp. ground Saigon cinnamon (.15)
Cooking spray for the pan (.20)
 
Ingredients for the Praline Rum Sauce ($8.30)
1 sticks + 2 tbsp. of unsalted butter ($1.35)
1 cup heavy cream ($2.50)
1 cup brown sugar (.50)
½ cup pecans (chopped) ($2.35)
1 vanilla bean ($1.00)
2 tbsp. Don Q rum (.60)
 
Directions for the Bread Pudding

1. Preheat your oven at 350 degrees and butter a Bundt cake pan.
2. Slice the French bread in about 2” pieces and pour the 3 1/2 cups of milk over the bread. Break the bread even further until all the milk is absorbed, for about 30 minutes
3. Beat 3 eggs and 1 cup of sugar until soft.
4. Stir in all your cranberries, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, rum and pour this mix over the bread until all is combined and mixed.
5. Pour into a Bundt or a 13 x 9-inch pan; place the pan inside a larger pan filled with about couple inches of water and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to about an hour. When check for doneness a toothpick must come out clean.
6. Remove from oven and let it rest until time to serve. Carefully, remove from the pan. I do not refrigerate this dessert and always make it hours before serving it to keep it soft and tender with the warm rum-praline sauce.

 
Directions for the Praline Rum Sauce
In a saucepan on medium, melt butter. Then add the vanilla bean, brown sugar, heavy cream.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and add the chopped pecans. Stir often and simmer for 3-5 more minutes.
Remove from your stove and proceed to stir in the rum.
Serve warm over a nice slice of bread pudding and if you wish, add a scoop of butter pecan or vanilla ice cream, and garnish with a fruit. YUMMMMMM!