• 2 Cups water
• 2 Cups plus
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons grated lemon peel
• 1 Vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 Package (1 pound) fresh cranberries
• 1 Loaf (1 pound) challah bread, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
• 1/2 Stick unsalted butter (melted)
• 2 Teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 1/4 Cups heavy crem
• 2 1/4 Cups milk
• 6 Large eggs 

Directions
Bring water, 1 cup sugar, lemon peel and vanilla to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries and simmer one minute. Remove from heat. Scrape vanilla seeds into cranberry mixture.

 Let stand until room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place challah cubes in a large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and melted butter. 

Transfer to a baking sheet and toast it in the oven for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, stir well 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and sprinkle the mixture in a well-greased 10 cup baking dish, coating both the bottom and sides. 

Transfer the bread to the baking dish. Drain the cranberry mixture and spread the cranberries over the bread cubes. In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, eggs and 1 cup of sugar. Pour the mixture over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

 Set the baking dish in a larger pan, cover it with foil, and add enough hot water to the larger pan to come half way up the sides of the baking dish. Bake the bread pudding in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour, or until the center is barely set. Remove the baking dish from the pan carefully and let the bread pudding stand for for five minutes before serving.