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!)
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) 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
* A 1-pound loaf of bread or brioche should yield about 6 1/2 cups bread cubes.
Instructions
- Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 2-quart baking dish, 9" x 13" pan, or
equivalent; our heart pan (pictured above) 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.
Yield: 10 servings.
Recipe and photo used with permission from: King Arthur Flour