284509 Thu Apr 13 08:26:20 -0700 2006 6 31 Home Cooking 0 1521128 Hi all, For a family birthday celebration I've been asked to make a chocolate bread pudding. I'm not thrilled with the recipe I have and would love to hear about your favs. TIA Thu Apr 13 08:26:20 -0700 2006 0 jackie 1 1521150 i made this one year and was told by a visiting chef it was the best chocolate bread pudding she'd ever had. But here's the deal. The recipe is for an ARMY - you have to cut it down by at LEAST half. I made it in fourths. I'll give it to you here and let you decide. It's really a tremendous dish and a joy to make. Chocolate Bread Pudding 3 1.5-2lb loaves of brioche (remove crusts), cubed into one inch pieces (you could also use a good challah or croissants) 3 lbs bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped 2 cups whole milk 2 cups sugar 10 large eggs 1/2 cup dutch-process cocoa powder 1 T vanilla 4 cups cold heavy cream 1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced 1/2 cup granulated or raw sugar for sprinkling preheat to 350F. Place bread cubes on a large baking sheet and toast until golden brown (15 min.). Combine half of the chocolate and all of the milk (double boiler or over low heat). Melt chocolate, stirring with whisk constantly. Set aside. Butter a 2-gallon baking dish (or two deep 4-qt casseroles) and place toasted bread inside. With electric mixer - whip together sugar, eggs, cocoa, vanilla until smooth and thick. With a whisk, mix the cream and the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Pour over bread cubes, cover with plastic, refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Preheat over to 325. Stir remaining chopped chocolate into the pudding and press everything together to make sure it's soaked. Dot with diced butter. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover with buttered foil and bake for 40-50min. Will set like a quiche - still wiggly. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve the following day, reheating at 200F for 20 minutes. Here is the way I cut the ingredients into quarters and then just fit the cubes of bread into the right sized pan: 1 1.5 lb loaf 1 lb of chocolate 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup sugar 2 large eggs 2 T cocoa powder 1 t vanilla 1 cup heavy cream 2 T butter 2 T raw sugar Thu Apr 13 10:45:04 -0700 2006 1521128 0 krissywats 2 1521249 Thank you all for the recipes. I'll decide which one, or then maybe I"ll just combine the best of all of them! Thanks again for posting. Thu Apr 13 19:53:20 -0700 2006 1521150 0 jackie 1 1521152 4 cups cubed day old bread 1/2 stick butter, melted 4 oz. finely chopped unsweetened chocolate 2 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 2 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/8 tsp. salt Toss butter and bread in a bowl. Bring cream to a simmer, pour over chocolate, let stand for 2 minutes, whick until smooth. Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt and temper with a bit of the cream, then pour into the cream mixture, whisk until combined. Pour mixture over bread, plastic wrap over the mixture, place another bowl on top and weigh it down with a heavy can. Let stand for at least 1 hour, until custard is absorbed. Place in a buttered 8 inch baking pan and bake in a 350 degree oven until set but center still "trembles," about 40-45 minutes. It will continue to set as it cools, so don't overbake. The only change I occasionally make is to add a Tbs. or two of cocoa powder to the chocolate to bump up that flavor. Thu Apr 13 10:49:57 -0700 2006 1521128 0 Aaron 1 1521158 There is a good one on Food Network website done by Paula Deen. Thu Apr 13 11:30:47 -0700 2006 1521128 0 oldone 1 1521272 I have made the White Chocolate BP recipe from the Fig's Table twice and it has turned out great. I recommend either making or buying a really dark chocolate sauce to accompany it. Some fresh strawberries along side as decoration would be nice too. Link: http://www.recipelink.com/mf/14/5620 Fri Apr 14 00:02:01 -0700 2006 1521128 0 Tracy L. 1 1521579 To make the pudding more custardy-tender, use more egg yolks than whites. It's the fat that makes it tender. Same goes for quiches. ..and cook in a water bath. Surround your pudding container with boiling water in a larger pan, water 1/2 way up the sides of baking dish. Ditto with cheesecakes. Does wonders for the texture. Sat Apr 15 12:17:06 -0700 2006 1521128 0 toodie jane