There are so many different recipes for bread pudding on the web, in cookbooks and magazines. Where do you start? If you're a member of Chocoholics Anonymous, you can start with this recipe. Of course, half the fun is trying them all! This one is silky smooth and velvety, with just the right balance of taste and texture. Fresh vanilla bean and cinnamon give it a unique kick. Definitely a "2-glass-of-milk dessert"!
Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Bread Pudding:
- Vanilla Beans: Also known as a pod. To cut open a bean, lay it flat on a cutting board. Slice the bean open lengthwise from one end to the other being careful not to slice through it. This will expose thousands of tiny seeds that will be scraped out and into pot. Don't waste the pod as this will also be soaked in the cream. Discard it when you are done.
- Cinnamon Sticks: Use food grade only, not the craft store brand. If not available, substitute 1 tsp ground cinnamon. This is for flavor only, don't eat them.
- Bread: Challah or Portuguese Sweet bread is the choice here, although French and Italian can be used also.
- Chocolate: Good quality Ghirardelli semisweet or milk chocolate can be interchanged.
- Mixer: A high-speed KitchenAid mixer will do the job quickly, although a large balloon whisk can be used. It will take longer to mix the yolks and sugar this way.
- Pan: A 9" x 13" or similar size casserole dish works well. You can also use a glass Pyrex pan or stoneware baker.
Water Bath Technique:
The technique of using a water bath is essential to achieving the texture desired in this pudding. Use any pan that is larger and a little deeper than the pudding dish, place the pudding in the larger pan, then fill the pan half way up the sides with hot water before baking.
Chocolate Bread Pudding Recipe
- 1 loaf of sweet Challah or Portuguese Sweet bread, sliced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 vanilla bean, see above
- 3 food grade cinnamon sticks, whole
- 1 2/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 8 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup white sugar
How To Make Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Spray baking dish with vegetable spray. Slice bread and layer in baking dish. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, scald cream, milk, slit vanilla bean with seeds and cinnamon sticks. Do NOT boil. Turn off heat and let sit 30 minutes.
- Reheat almost to a scald. Scrape any remaining seeds from the pod and discard it along with the cinnamon sticks.
- Add chocolate to hot cream and whisk until smooth with a balloon whisk.
- Combine egg yolks and sugar in a high-speed mixing bowl and whisk until light and foamy.
- Pour chocolate mixture into yolks and sugar very slowly mixing continuously until well blended, being careful not to curdle the eggs.
- Pour chocolate custard mixture over bread, lifting bread a bit making sure the custard coats all the bread evenly.
- Place a layer of plastic wrap over pudding and press down. Let sit for 30-40 minutes for bread to absorb liquid.
- Place baker in the water bath. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes until set.
- Cool 30 minutes or more before serving.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve with sweetened whipped cream.
- Serves 12-15. Refrigerate leftovers.
Sweetened Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
- Whip heavy whipping cream until semi stiff.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip until it holds its shape.
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Donna Diegel - Donna Diegel is an experienced baker and published author with more than 25 years of experience in the food industry.
