Raspberry Bread Pudding with Raspberry Sauce

Bread Pudding:
5 cups toasted bread cubes
2 1/2 cups scalded milk
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons melted butter
12 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries
Whipped cream for garnish

Raspberry Sauce:
1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries
1/2 cup raspberry jam
Few drops lemon juice
Granulated sugar, optional
1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur, optional, or USE blackberries,
    Marion berries, loganberries, etc.

Place toasted bread cubes in crock pot.

In a separate bowl, mix scaled milk, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, almond extract and melted butter together. Defrost berries; drain off any excess juice and mix berries with bread cubes. Pour milk mixture on top and gently press bread into milk mixture with the back of a spoon. Do not stir mixture.

Set crockpot on LOW and cook for 4 to 6 hours.

Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or drizzle with Raspberry Sauce.

Raspberry Sauce: Defrost raspberries. Place raspberries, raspberry jam and lemon juice into a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth; taste and add sugar, if desired. Strain through a sieve to remove seeds.

Add raspberry liqueur, if desired. Drizzle sauce over warm Raspberry Bread Pudding.