Nutella-Cherry French Toast Bread Pudding

Prep - Preheat the oven to 300°F. Spread the pieces of bread in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer the bread to a 9x13-inch baking dish and scatter evenly with the frozen cherries.

Custard - Make the custard: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until they look homogenous. Add the half and half, Nutella, sugar, and salt and whisk until well combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread and cherries. Using a spatula, press any dry pieces of bread into the custard to saturate them; they will not stay submerged.

Chill - Refrigerate the bread pudding: Wrap the baking dish in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Prep - Temper the bread pudding: Remove the bread pudding from the refrigerator and set aside to remove the chill, about 30 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap.

Bake - Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bake the bread pudding until the custard has just set and pressing the center of the pudding with your finger does not reveal runny liquid, 55 to 70 minutes.

Serve - Let cool and serve: Transfer to a wire rack and cool until the pudding is set, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with hazelnuts and serve with whipped cream, if using. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.