Chocolate Bread Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb challah or 1 lb brioche bread
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Recipe

• 1 cut challah, brioche, or other light egg bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• 2 taking care to preserve as much of the crumb as possible, trim off and discard the crusts.
• 3 cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes, making 6 to 7 cups.
• 4 bring heavy cream, sugar& salt to a boil, stirring constantly.
• 5 remove from the heat.
• 6 add chocolate.
• 7 let stand for 2 minute.
• 8 whisk until smooth.
• 9 in a large bowl, whisk together eggs& egg yolks.
• 10 add milk& vanilla.
• 11 whisk in the chocolate mixture, then stir in the bread cubes.
• 12 let stand for 1 to 2 hours, gently stirring and pressing the bread down now and then with a spatula to help it absorb the liquid.
• 13 preheat the oven to 325°f.
• 14 generously butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
• 15 pour the pudding mixture into the baking dish, smooth the top.
• 16 bake in a water bath until the center feels firm when pressed, about 55 to 65 minutes.
• 17 let cool for 45 minutes.
• 18 the pudding can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• 19 to reheat, bake in a water bath in a 300°f oven until a knife inserted in the center for 2 seconds comes out warm, 15 to 30 minutes.