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| Chocolate Bread Pudding |
This recipe calls for dry bread, not toasted bread, not oven-dried bread: dry
bread. The best way to get the correct texture of this bread pudding is to cube
day - old bread and set it out on a tray to dry at room temperatrue.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sun – dried sour cherries [they will be the small cherries]
1/3 cup cognac
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups sourdough batard, cubed, without crusts, dried overnight
Garnish :
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6 fresh mint sprigs
Special Equipment:
Six 10 ounce or one 8 cup soufflé dish
Method
Combine the cherries and cognac and soak for at least 2 hours, preferably
overnight. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water.
Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or the chocolate will get
too hot.
Remove from heat and let chocolate stand over the warm water until ready to
use.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, sour cream, sugar, cinnamon,
and vanilla extract. Quickly whisk in the melted chocolate. If the chocolate does
not completely melt, place the bowl back over the hot water and whisk gently
until the chocolate is completely incorporated.
Fold in the bread cubes, cherries, and Cognac. Let sit in a warm place until the
bread absorbs the custard, 1 to 2 hours. To test, break a bread cube in half;
there should be no white showing.
Spoon the mixture into the soufflé dish[es]. Clean the edges well with a damp
towel to remove any chocolate drips.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Put the dish[es] in a roasting pan. Slide the middle rack partially out of the oven
and place the pan on the rack. Pour boiling water into the pan to a depth of
about 1 inch, making sure none of the water comes over the sides. Slide rack
back into the oven. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the puddings are puffed
and set to the touch.
Remove the dishes from the water and allow to cool for 15 – 30 minutes.
Whisk the confectioners’ sugar into the crème fraîche or sour cream.
The puddings should be served warm, so if they have they have cooled too
much, cover each pudding with a square of aluminum foil and reheat in a
preheated 350° oven for 6 to 8 minutes. To test, stick a small knife into a
corner of the center of a pudding for 30 seconds, then remove it and feel the
blade. If it’s not warm keep the puddings in the oven a little longer.
Just before serving, put a large dollop of the cream mixture on top and garnish
with a sprig of mint.
bread. The best way to get the correct texture of this bread pudding is to cube
day - old bread and set it out on a tray to dry at room temperatrue.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sun – dried sour cherries [they will be the small cherries]
1/3 cup cognac
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups sourdough batard, cubed, without crusts, dried overnight
Garnish :
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6 fresh mint sprigs
Special Equipment:
Six 10 ounce or one 8 cup soufflé dish
Method
Combine the cherries and cognac and soak for at least 2 hours, preferably
overnight. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water.
Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or the chocolate will get
too hot.
Remove from heat and let chocolate stand over the warm water until ready to
use.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, sour cream, sugar, cinnamon,
and vanilla extract. Quickly whisk in the melted chocolate. If the chocolate does
not completely melt, place the bowl back over the hot water and whisk gently
until the chocolate is completely incorporated.
Fold in the bread cubes, cherries, and Cognac. Let sit in a warm place until the
bread absorbs the custard, 1 to 2 hours. To test, break a bread cube in half;
there should be no white showing.
Spoon the mixture into the soufflé dish[es]. Clean the edges well with a damp
towel to remove any chocolate drips.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Put the dish[es] in a roasting pan. Slide the middle rack partially out of the oven
and place the pan on the rack. Pour boiling water into the pan to a depth of
about 1 inch, making sure none of the water comes over the sides. Slide rack
back into the oven. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the puddings are puffed
and set to the touch.
Remove the dishes from the water and allow to cool for 15 – 30 minutes.
Whisk the confectioners’ sugar into the crème fraîche or sour cream.
The puddings should be served warm, so if they have they have cooled too
much, cover each pudding with a square of aluminum foil and reheat in a
preheated 350° oven for 6 to 8 minutes. To test, stick a small knife into a
corner of the center of a pudding for 30 seconds, then remove it and feel the
blade. If it’s not warm keep the puddings in the oven a little longer.
Just before serving, put a large dollop of the cream mixture on top and garnish
with a sprig of mint.
