Could there be a better name. The words alone make me feel a little giddy. This recipe is from a King Arthur Flour catalog. King Arthur has alot of great products and some that are especially hard to find if you live in an isolated area such as gluten free and organic baking products. You can request a catolog or order online at www.kingarthurflour.com
They have lots of recipes on their site too (and a blog to boot). Check them out. And try this recipe.
Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding
10 to 12 slices bread, cut into 1/2" cubes, to yield about 6 1/2 cups bread cubes*
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) cocoa, natural or Dutch-process
3 cups (24 ounces) milk or half and half
6 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
*A 1-pound loaf of bread or brioche should yield about 6 1/2 cups bread cubes.
Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 2-quart baking dish, 9" x 13" pan, or equivalent; our heart pan (pictured above) works well here.
Toss the bread cubes with 1 cup of the chopped semisweet chocolate, and place in the prepared pan.
Combine the remaining chopped chocolate with the sugar, cocoa, and 1 1/2 cups of the milk or half and half in a saucepan set over low heat.
Cook, stirring, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is thickened and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl, and whisk in the remaining milk or half and half. Whisk in the eggs, salt, and vanilla. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and let rest for 30 minutes or so at room temperature, until the chocolate custard has been absorbed by the bread. While the pudding is resting, preheat the oven to 325°F.
Bake the pudding for 45 to 50 minutes, until it's set. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes to allow the custard to fully set before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream, ice cream, or dusted with confectioners' sugar. Yield: 10 servings.
