Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish (or 8x8-inch pan) with non-stick spray.
Tear croissants into 1-inch pieces and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake, tossing halfway through (and reducing oven temperature if bread is getting too golden) until pieces are very dry and slightly toasted, 15-25 minutes. (This step is very important so the dry croissant pieces will absorb the custard without disintegrating.) Let cool, then transfer to the prepared baking dish.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, egg yolk, vanilla, salt, and orange zest. Whisk until combined and smooth.
Place the toasted croissant pieces in the baking dish (See Note 1). Sprinkle raspberries across the top of the croissant pieces. Pour the liquid over the croissants and press the pieces down to submerge in the liquid. This will keep the croissants from burning.
Cover with foil and refrigerate for 45 minutes to an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove the foil and make sure croissants are all submerged in the liquid. If desired, sprinkle on the 2 tablespoons coarse sugar. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until custard is firm and set (bake time may vary, depending on the size pan you use). If needed, tent the pudding with foil to keep the top from burning. If desired, sprinkle almonds on top.
While the pudding is baking, prepare the whipped cream and vanilla sauce (optional, but delicious additions).
Whipped cream: Add the ingredients to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on high speed until stiff peaks form. Chill until ready to serve.
Vanilla sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients except vanilla, in a heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5-8 minutes or until mixture thickens and then comes to a full boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the vanilla.
Top individual servings of warm Bread Pudding with whipped cream and vanilla sauce. Best eaten same day as prepared.
Notes
Note 1:Pan size: The pan size can reflect your preference for the final product. I like something more shallow, with more surface area than an 8x8-inch pan, but that size will work -- it will be more creamy and custard-like. The larger the pan, the crisper the topping will turn out.Nutrition information does not include whipped cream or syrup (just the base Bread Pudding recipe).