Chocolate Bread Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb brioche bread
• 1/2 lb belgian chocolate spread
• 4 -6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chunks
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 vanilla pod, split or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350°f/175°c butter a deep-sided, 6-8 cup baking dish. find a larger baking dish that you can sit the first one into, pour water into the outer dish until it comes halfway up the sides of the small, inner dish.
• 2 tear the brioche into medium-sized pieces (about 2" each) and slather them merrily with chocolate spread. cover the base of the inner dish with the brioche pieces and scatter chocolate chunks over and between the pieces.
• 3 in a 2-qt saucepan, heat the milk and cream together, with the vanilla bean. at the same time, beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until the sugar is dissolved. when the milk starts to bubble, remove the vanilla bean; if using vanilla extract, add it at this point. start beating eggs and add milk mixture little by little, beating continuously, until it's all in the bowl, then pour back into the saucepan and stir constantly until it heats through. you don't need to thicken this custard mix, just warm up the eggs.
• 4 pour the custard mix over the brioche pieces. squish the brioche down into the custard, helping it to soak into the bread. pop the two dishes into the oven, on an oven tray if you would like for easier handling. bake for 45 minutes. serve hot, or cold, with cream or ice cream if you really and truly hate your arteries.