Sausage-and-Maple Bread Pudding

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook the sausage over moderately high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until nicely browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a bowl and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the ice cream, water, sage, salt and 1/2 cup of the maple syrup. Fold in the sausage and brioche. Scrape the mixture into a 9-inch square or 2-quart oval baking dish and let stand for 15 minutes. Bake for 35 minutes or until the top is browned and the center is set.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, boil the remaining 1/2 cup of maple syrup over moderate heat, stirring, until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; whisk in the cream. Serve the bread pudding with the maple cream.