Saturday, October 24, 2009

Take A Bite Of: Chocolate Bread Pudding

Something so inviting...a little chocolate sin never hurt anyone, now did it? Our friend Martha Stewart shares this incredible recipe which I will personally vouch for. When everyone else is bringing apple pie to the holiday bash, this little concoction will earn you rave reviews. The person who brings the apple pie will even be back for seconds. Buon Appetito!



Chocolate Bread Pudding
Ingredients:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 whole vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, seeds scraped
  • 3 cinnamon sticks (optional)
  • 1 loaf brioche (about 1 pound, or you may substitute white bread)
  • 12 ounces roughly chopped Valrhona or other bittersweet chocolate, plus 1/2 ounce or 1/4 cup shavings for garnish
  • 8 large egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 package (8 ounces) creme fraiche

Directions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Whisk the creme fraiche until soft peaks form. Serve pudding warm, garnished with creme fraiche and chocolate shavings.

59 comments:

The Savage said...

If you write a cookbook it would have to be sold in the adult section....

Unknown said...

I think I just licked the screen!

Possum said...

Mouth is watering in anticipation...me and a chocolate-free day ..not gonna happen!

Margo said...

magic words: creme + fraiche + chocolate :)

Scrappy Girl said...

That looks and sounds delicious!

Liza said...

When I am lucky enough to discover a blog and the first post I read is a recipe for Chocolate Bread Pudding, I know I'm in the right place. You just earned yourself your 663 follower!

Anonymous said...

OH dear lord in heaven...

joe said...

I wonder if they'll ever come up with a scratch-and-sniff screen. If so, I'm bookmarking that post.

JenJen said...

I swear I will never fit back into the jeans I hate the least.
Never.

The Four Week Vegan said...

I just gained 5 pounds reading this post. WOW, sounds and looks unbelievably delicious.

chow and chatter said...

oh wow heavenly

lsnellings said...

Chocolate sin is right!!

AnnQ said...

That looks amazing! And I love Martha and her recipes. :-) She rocks.

Nyx said...

That looks AH-MAZING. I'm drooling on my keyboard.

Vodka Logic said...

What's brioche *blush* seriously

Certainly looks good

JennyMac said...

Hi. its a type of bread that is a bit sweeter than regular french bread, very similar to Challah.

:)

Kristina P. said...

That looks like heaven.

Anonymous said...

Sadist! Chocaholics everywhere should sue!

Herding Cats said...

Hmm thinking about making this one for Thanksgiving dessert....thanks!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for stopping by!

This recipe sounds so delicious!

HalfAsstic.com said...

And this is absolutely calorie free, right? ;-)

Anonymous said...

That looks gorgeous Jenny ! Thanks for the recipe...

Farnnay said...

omgggggggg that looks sooo good!!!!!!!

FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com said...

Why did I read this?

Now I want to eat it.. LOL

Unknown said...

OMG! That looks and sounds positively sinful!!!!

Tracie said...

Bread pudding is one of my absolute favs!

janis said...

YUMMY!

Liz Mays said...

That is exactly what I want and don't need but since I want it, I will have it.

Alexis AKA MOM said...

Mouth water, yup even a little drool!

Stephanie said...

MUST have!

Marguerite said...

That bread pudding looks sinfully delicious! I wish that I had some right now!! Thanks for sharing!

obladi oblada said...

Im making this and no one better try and stop me!!

Chief said...

I think you should start posting the nutritional information with your recipes!

Never mind....

Joshua said...

And the last thing I need to be doing is looking at this at 1:30am. I was only craving sugar until I saw this, and now I must raid the freezer for the last of my Thin Mints stash.

Thanks for stopping by and commenting the other day. Hope to see you around more.

Joshua
http://techparent42.blogspot.com

Claudya Martinez said...

I think I'm in love.

Cathi said...

looks so wonderfully delicious!

Pramoda Meduri said...

hey jenny,

wah...another cool recipe..:) Thak youuuu

Pramoda Meduri said...

hey jenny,

thank u very much fr ur lovely comments on my blog..they are always threasured alott..

plz keep coming and let me have the pleasure of having u thr more often..thank you

Holly Lefevre said...

LOVE! YUM!
Holly @ 504 Main

Alicia said...

mmmmmmmm i'm totally drooling right now

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

You know what I enjoy? When you share a recipe, it's not just yummy, it's down right decadent! I can feel the sugar/caffeine rush just looking at the photo!

mommakin said...

Bread pudding is my favorite comfort food. Chocolate is - well - chocolate. Nom nom nom...

Keith said...

Hey there. Happy Sunday to you. I hope you've been enjoying the weekend. Take care. Good luck with the week ahead. Cheers!

♥ Braja said...

You're evil.
I think I love you...

Unknown said...

lol..yummy recipe! I think I'll try this sometime!Have a wonderful Sunday

Unknown said...

HOW DARE YOU?

I need to lose 15 pounds!

Meg said...

Two cups of heavy cream? Oh damn, you went there!!

Green-Eyed Momster said...

This is NOT going to be good for my diet. Oh well!

Thanks and hugs!!

Mr. Charleston said...

Whoa... this is dangerously delicious.

Brutally Honest said...

Crap. I think I gained 5 lbs just looking at this recipe.

Melissa B. said...

Yummy in the tummy...I have to admit-chocolate is definitly my weakness!

Deb said...

I'm wheat intolerant. You may have just discovered the cure for rice bread.

Live.Love.Eat said...

This looks beautiful!!!!

Anonymous said...

This sounds delicious! I love brioche! We have a party coming up and I am supposed to bring a dessert- I have been wanting to make something new, so I am going to make this :)

♥ Braja said...

I came back for 2nds....

Jen said...

Making this. This weekend. Yum. We are bread pudding fanatics.

The Pocket Stylist said...

Yummy I think I will make this tonight!!!

Anonymous said...

I could imagine how the vanilla beans aroma would perfectly compliment a scent of sinfulness.

Cocaine Princess said...

I always feel like I am gaining weight when I visit your blog!