Chocolate Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
| 12 one-inch-thick slices brioche (or other richly flavored egg bread such as challah) | ||
| Unsalted butter | 3/4 Cup (16 tbs), melted | |
| 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped | ||
| Heavy cream | 3 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Milk | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Egg yolks | 12 Large | |
| Pure vanilla extract | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Salt | 1/8 Teaspoon | |
| 1 cup heavy cream, softly whipped (optional) | ||
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Assemble the mise en place trays.
2. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the melted butter. Place on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
3. Place the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl set over a saucepan of very hot, not simmering, water. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Stir frequently until melted.
4. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the cream and milk for about 5 minutes, over medium heat to just under a boil. Do not boil. Remove from the heat.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until well blended. Gradually whisk the hot cream and milk mixture. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and skim off any foam.
6. Whisk the melted chocolate into the yolk mixture. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
7. Arrange the toasted bread in 2 overlapping rows in a 9-by 13-inch baking pan. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and place a smaller baking pan on top of the bread so that the slices stay submerged. Add weights if necessary. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until the bread is soaked through.
8. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
9. Remove the smaller pan and plastic wrap from the bread pudding. Cover with aluminum foil and punch a few holes in the top to allow the steam to escape. Place in a larger pan and pour in enough water to come 1/2 inch up the sides of the smaller pan. Bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the pudding has a glossy look.
10. Cut the pudding into squares and serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.
2. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the melted butter. Place on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
3. Place the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl set over a saucepan of very hot, not simmering, water. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Stir frequently until melted.
4. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the cream and milk for about 5 minutes, over medium heat to just under a boil. Do not boil. Remove from the heat.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until well blended. Gradually whisk the hot cream and milk mixture. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and skim off any foam.
6. Whisk the melted chocolate into the yolk mixture. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
7. Arrange the toasted bread in 2 overlapping rows in a 9-by 13-inch baking pan. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and place a smaller baking pan on top of the bread so that the slices stay submerged. Add weights if necessary. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until the bread is soaked through.
8. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
9. Remove the smaller pan and plastic wrap from the bread pudding. Cover with aluminum foil and punch a few holes in the top to allow the steam to escape. Place in a larger pan and pour in enough water to come 1/2 inch up the sides of the smaller pan. Bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the pudding has a glossy look.
10. Cut the pudding into squares and serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.
Chef
