Challah-Cranberry Brunch Casserole - dairy

This recipe appeared in the Palm Beach Jewish Times; it is taken from an article about Break the Fast recipes. The author, Ilene Spector, explicitly looks for new recipes to add to her traditional ones for her Break the Fast buffet table.

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter plus additional butter for baking dish
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 eggs
3 cups milk
1 pound loaf of challah, cut into 1 1/2" thick slices
1 cup cranberries

Cranberry-Maple sauce:
1 cup maple syrup or pancake syrup
2 cups cranberries
2 tablespoons sugar
(consider omitting the sugar or lowering the amount of sugar to taste)

Butter a 13" X 9" baking dish.

Lay bread slices in baking dish. After the first layer has been laid out, sprinkle cranberries over bread slices. Continue the process of layering bread and sprinkling with cranberries until all ingredients have been used up.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, butter, vanilla and cinnamon in large mixing bowl at medium speed with electric mixer until well-blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in milk.

Pour cream cheese mixture over bread in baking dish. Lift up bread slices and tilt the baking dish to allow cream cheese mixture to flow into all areas and come in contact with all the bread.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Remove baking dish from the refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Bake casserole uncovered, until set, about 45-60 minutes (tent with foil if top begins to overbrown).

About 15 minutes into the cooking time for the casserole, begin preparing the sauce in the following manner: Bring syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cranberries and sugar (if using sugar. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let sit until serving time. Taste and, if necessary, warm sauce somewhat.