Chocolate Caramel Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 7 slices white bread (Texas toast or other thick white bread preferred)
• 1 qt heavy whipping cream
• 16 egg yolks
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tbl vanilla extract
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• bottled caramel sauce
• bottled chocolate sauce or syrup

Instructions

Lay the bread slices on the oven rack in a 350 degree oven and bake for about 10 minutes to dry the bread out. Cool the slices on a baking rack.

Pour the heavy whipping cream into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until just below boiling, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, place the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using a wire whisk, whisk the mixture until it is pale yellow and falls into ribbons when the whisk is lifted from the bowl. Slowly pour about half of the hot cream into the egg mixture, stirring constantly (to avoid curdling). Pour the egg and cream mixture slowly into the saucepan of remaining cream, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 12 to 15 minutes. Off heat, stir in the vanilla extract. (If any curdled bits appear in the cooked custard, pour it through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl to remove the curdled bits.) The custard may be used warm, or be may be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Tear up the dried bread slices and place them in a large bowl. Pour the custard over the bread and press down gently with a large spoon to submerge the bread in the custard. Let soak for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into an 8x8x2-inch or 9x9x2-inch baking dish. Scatter the chocolate chips over top.
Prepare a water bath by placing the baking dish of bread pudding into a larger baking pan. Fill the larger pan half way up with hot water. Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick or wooden skewer comes out clean. The bread pudding may be served warm or chilled.

To serve, drizzle some of the caramel sauce and some of the chocolate sauce over each serving. Serves 6 to 10.

Chocolate Caramel Bread Pudding by Chef Cory Knubley, Stone Creek Restaurant, Lawrence, Kansas.

Photos

Added Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2009