Italian Bread Pudding with Panettone

In a baking pan or tray, lay the sliced panettone in a single layer, and let it get stale (at least 6 hours or up to overnight). Alternately, toast the panettone in a 350℉ oven for about 10 minutes. If you are short on time, you can skip this step.
1 1lb Italian panettone, cut into 1-1.5 inch cubes (crusts on)
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Butter a 9x13 baking dish on the bottom and up the sides.
butter for greasing the pan
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Add the milk, cream, orange zest and orange liqueur if using. Whisk until well blended.
8 large eggs, 1 cup sugar, 3¼ cup half-and-half , 1½ teaspoon orange zest
Place the panettone in the buttered pan and spread evenly. Pour the egg mixture over the panettone. Gently press down on the cubes to submerge. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
Bake for about 45-55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the middle is set. (It will puff up a bit and then deflate once it starts to cool). Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream. It can also be eaten for breakfast!
2 teaspoon orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier), ⅓ cup sliced almonds, powdered sugar for dusting