Decadent Chocolate Bread Pudding Food

DECADENT CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the cream, milk, vanilla seeds and pod, and cinnamon sticks, if using, in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 minutes to infuse flavors.
• Cut the brioche into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut slices into quarters, setting aside the rounded top pieces. Fill a 9-by-12-inch gratin dish or a deep oval roasting dish with the quartered pieces.
• Return the milk mixture to a boil, remove from heat, and discard vanilla pod and cinnamon sticks. Add chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Combine egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Pour chocolate mixture very slowly into egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until fully combined.
• Slowly pour half the chocolate custard over bread, making sure all the bread is soaked. Arrange the reserved bread on top in a decorative pattern, and press firmly so bottom layer of bread absorbs chocolate mixture. Spoon remaining custard over bread until completely covered and all cracks are filled. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the dish; press down to soak bread thoroughly. Remove plastic, wipe edges of the dish with a damp towel, and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Place gratin dish in a larger pan; fill outer pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the gratin dish. Bake until set, about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
• Whisk the creme fraiche until soft peaks form. Serve pudding warm, garnished with creme fraiche and chocolate shavings.

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9-in. springform pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Cube remaining butter; place in a small saucepan. Add chocolate chips and brown sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat., In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, espresso powder and salt. Gently stir in bread; let stand until bread is softened, about 15 minutes. Fold in chocolate mixture. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 45-55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes., Meanwhile, for sauce, heat cream in a small heavy saucepan until bubbles form around sides. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, brown sugar and salt. Whisk a small amount of hot cream into egg mixture; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in butter. Fold in pecans and coconut. If desired, stir in brandy. Cool., For whipped cream, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and, if desired, brandy; beat until soft peaks form., Loosen sides of pan with a knife. Carefully run a knife around edge of springform pan to loosen; remove rim from pan. Serve pudding warm with sauce and whipped cream.

DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and milk to a bare simmer. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vanilla, salt and egg yolks.
• Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper it, whisking all the while. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Pour in the melted chocolate and whisk until smooth.
• Pour into glasses or custard cups. Refrigerate until chilled and set, about 3 hours. Serve with whipped sour cream, if desired.

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously butter a 2 1/2- to 3-quart soufflé dish. Put bread in dish.
• Heat half-and-half, sugar, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and add chocolate, then let stand 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Lightly beat eggs together in a large bowl and slowly add chocolate mixture, whisking until combined. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over bread and let soak at room temperature, pressing bread down occasionally, 1 hour.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Dot top of pudding with butter bits. Bake in a hot water bath until edge is set but center still trembles slightly, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool pudding to warm in dish on a rack. (Pudding will continue to set as it cools.)

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare the bottom and sides of the baking dish with the butter. In a large bowl, add the bread and croissant chunks along with the chocolate chips sprinkled over the top. Toss gently and pour into the prepared dish making sure all the chocolate chips don't settle on the bottom.
• In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, milk, chocolate syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• Pour the chocolate custard over the bread and chocolate in the dish and press the bread down into the custard to soak it up. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Then press down a bit again.
• Bake uncovered until the edges are golden brown and the center springs back a bit when touched, 45 to 50 minutes. Allow it to cool and settle for about 30 minutes and then make pretty squares, or just dig in right away. Serve with a dollop of Bourbon Whipped Cream, recipe follows. Can also be served cold.
• In a large bowl whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and bourbon and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Refrigerate and serve cold.

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
• Slice baguette in 1/4 inch slices and brush one side with melted butter. Place on a baking sheet and into preheated oven until golden, about 1 minute.
• Melt chocolate chips in microwave or double boiler. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over low heat, heat cream and milk until warm. Do not scald.
• In a large bowl beat eggs, egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon vanilla until smooth. Blend in warm cream mixture a little at a time. Whisk egg mixture into melted chocolate until smooth.
• Arrange toasted bread slices, buttered side up, in prepared dish until dish is full. Pour chocolate mixture over bread and let rest 40 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.
• Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place baking dish on towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let rest 8 hours or overnight.
• To make sauce, melt unsweetened chocolate in small saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter until melted. Stir in boiling water, 1/2 cup sugar and corn syrup until smooth. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil Boil gently 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• To serve: Warm bottom of baking dish, loosen edges of pudding with a knife then invert cold pudding onto a serving platter. Serve with warm chocolate sauce.

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish.
• Place the bread in the baking dish.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream and liqueur.
• In another bowl, combine the granulated and brown sugars with the cocoa powder and mix well.
• Add this to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.
• Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the cinnamon to the beaten eggs.
• Combine the egg mixture with the milk mixture and mix well.
• Stir in the grated chocolate.
• Pour the mixture evenly over the bread cubes;.
• Let stand, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 minutes, or until the bread has absorbed most of the milk mixture.
• Bake the pudding for 1 hour, or until set;.
• a knife inserted into the center of the pudding should come out clean.
• Serve the pudding warm or refrigerate it and serve chilled.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE CHERRY BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• In large bowl, beat eggs; add sweetened condensed milk, cherries, water, butter, and vanilla.
• Stir in bread and dried cherries, moistening completely.
• Turn into buttered 9-inch square baking pan.
• Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool.
• Serve warm with ice cream if desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.