- 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (you may substitute reduced-fat cream cheese)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
- 1/4 cup juice from a large orange
- 9 large eggs
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 slices fluffy white bread (not dense artisanal or country-style bread)
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup orange marmalade
- With a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and orange zest in a medium bowl, adding 1 egg at a time, to form a lumpy batter. Beat in half-and-half, sugar and vanilla. (Batter will still be lumpy.)
- Spray a 13-by-9-inch Pyrex or ceramic baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. Line pan bottom with 6 slices of bread, cutting some slices into strips to form a tight fit. Pour 1 cup of the egg mixture over the bread, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cranberries. Make another layer with remaining bread. Slowly pour remaining egg mixture over bread.
- Cover with plastic wrap, then lightly weight the strata, such as by setting a pie plate on it (or lightly pressing on it with your hand a few times), until bread has almost completely absorbed the milk mixture. Refrigerate at least several hours or overnight.
- Remove plastic and bring to cool room temperature before baking. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle strata with walnuts and remaining cranberries, lightly pressing them into the bread. Bake until strata is firm and puffy, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm marmalade and 1/4 cup orange juice in a small saucepan. Remove strata from oven and let stand for 8 to 10 minutes. Cut into 12 portions and serve immediately with warm orange sauce.