Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with oil or butter. Set aside.

If baking right away, preheat the oven to 375℉ with the baking shelf placed in the middle position.

Slice and cube the bread into approximately 1.5-inch (3.8cm) pieces and place them in a large bowl. Beat the eggs and combine with the milk, cream, Dijon mustard, thyme and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to your preference. Mix until the custard is well incorporated.

Pour the savory custard over the bread cubes. Mix gently and let them soak for 15 minutes. While the bread is soaking, sauté the ham until lightly caramelized in a little butter or oil. Set aside.

To assemble, place half of the soaked bread in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Distribute the sautéed ham evenly over the bread. Then sprinkle on half of the grated cheese. Add the remaining half of soaked bread. Finish by sprinkling the remaining grated cheese as a final layer.

At this point, you can choose to either cover and refrigerate overnight or bake right away.

If refrigerated overnight, remove the bread pudding from the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking. While the dish is coming to room temperature, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bake the ham and cheese bread pudding uncovered for approximately 30 to 40 minutes.

Look for cues like a puffed-up egg casserole, a golden-brown top, and edges pulling away from the sides.

To check for doneness, insert a toothpick; it should come out clean with no liquid savory custard at the bottom. If the top of the bread pudding is getting brown but is not yet cooked though, cover with a tent of aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time. 

Remove from the oven and allow the dish to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!