Chocolate Bread Pudding Recipe

This awesome recipe for Chocolate Bread Pudding is a favorite of many of my chocoholic friends. I remember my mother making this delicious pudding for the holidays when I was growing up with a dollop of "real" whipped cream on top. And yes, she made her own whipped cream!

Your Ingredients: (serves 10 to 12)

1 (one-pound) loaf brioche bread
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 whole vanila bean, cut in half lengthwise and seeds scraped
8 ounces Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1.5 sticks melted butter
8 large egg yolks (freeze the whites for a meringue)
1 cup granulated sugar
real whipped cream
mini-chocolate chips

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 325°F.

BUTTER a 13x9-inch baking dish. (You'll also need a roasting pan to serve as a water bath container.)

CUT brioche into 1-inch cubes and place them in the buttered dish.

ADD the milk, cream, vanilla seeds, and vanilla pod to a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn heat down low and simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover, and allow it to stand for 30 minutes to intensify the vanilla flavor.

WHISK together the egg yolks and sugar; set aside.

REMOVE the vanilla pod (discard) and reheat the milk-cream mixture to boiling.

REMOVE from heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture and whisk until all ingredients are very well blended.

POUR custard over the brioche cubes and use a fork to poke holes through cubes, making sure that custard is soaking through. Cover with plastic wrap and let pudding stand for 2-hours, occasionally pressing the cubes down into pudding. In the meantime, fill a large saucepan with water and heat over high heat to boiling. Turn off heat once it comes to a boil.

PLACE your baking dish inside of the larger pan and place in the preheated oven. Being very careful, fill the outer pan with enough hot water to reach the halfway point of the pudding dish. Bake until pudding is set, about 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

SERVE warm and top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle a few mini-chocolate chips on top for garnish.

Always Enjoy!