Dessert Recipes
Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding
Is there any comfort food as purely comforting as warm, soft, chocolate-y bread pudding? There's nothing like it on a cold winter's night (or on Valentine's Day!)
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 slices bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, to yield about 6 1/2 cups bread cubes*
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
- 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) cocoa, unsweetened baking cocoa or Dutch-process
- 3 cups (24 ounces) milk or Half-and-Half
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 2 quart baking dish, 9 x 13 inch pan, or equivalent; our heart pan (pictured) works well here.
- Toss the bread cubes with 1 cup of the chopped semisweet chocolate, and place in the prepared pan.
- Combine the remaining chopped chocolate with the sugar, cocoa, and 1 1/2 cups of the milk or Half-and-Half in a saucepan set over low heat.
- Cook, stirring, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is thickened and smooth.
- Transfer to a large bowl, and whisk in the remaining milk or Half-and-Half.
- Whisk in the eggs, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and let rest for 30 minutes or so at room temperature, until the chocolate custard has been absorbed by the bread.
- While the pudding is resting, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Bake the pudding for 45 to 50 minutes, until it's set.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes to allow the custard to fully set before serving.
- Serve warm with whipped cream, ice cream, or dusted with confectioners' sugar.
Notes
* A 1 pound loaf of bread or brioche should yield about 6 1/2 cups bread cubes.