Get Your Chef On: Chocolate {Mocha Latte Bread Pudding}

When CHOCOLATE was announced as this month's Get Your Chef On ingredient, I was on board. As someone who is very familiar with chocolate--like familiar on a daily basis--I thought "piece of cake." (Pun intended, of course.)

Turns out, this common, everyday (no, really, everyday) ingredient was a hard one. I found it similar to being on the cereal aisle at the grocery. So many choices. Too many choices.

I ran a few ideas by The Husband. When I described the idea I had in mind for bread pudding flavored with chocolate and coffee, he said "that sounds cool."

But really, it's better warm.

Mocha Latte Bread Pudding

w/ Caramel Whiskey Sauce

The texture is actually more like chocolate panna cotta

than bread pudding,

but there's nothing wrong with that.

This bread pudding has a luscious, velvety texture with over-the-top rich, dark chocolate flavor. The strong brewed coffee elevates the chocolate. The Whiskey Caramel Sauce would be good on standard bread pudding too. The whiskey isn't noticeable at first, but look for it on the finish.

Part of

and

Jen of Four Marrs and One Venus

Thanks to Julie & Jen for organizing the event!

• Mocha Latte Bread Pudding w/ Caramel Whiskey Sauce
• 6 cups cubed French bread, with crust, roughly 1" cubes
• 4 whole large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1 cup milk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 5 oz strongly brewed coffee
• heaping 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• pat of butter for greasing the pan

Ahead: Spread the bread cubes out on a sheet pan and let them sit for a couple of hours to dry out.

Whisk eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Add the milk, cream, and coffee to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder until dissolved. Warm the mixture, whisking occasionally to prevent scalding, for about 4 minutes--until you start to see steam rising from the surface. Turn off the heat and whisk in 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Whisk until chocolate has melted.

Slowly whisk 1 cup of the milk and chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Then whisk the remaining milk mixture into the egg mixture. Add the bread cubes and gently toss to coat. Press on the bread slightly as you go to allow the bread to absorb the chocolate custard. Fold in the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Transfer the bread mixture to a buttered 2 quart baking dish. Let stand while oven preheats to 350 degrees F.

Place a 13 x 9 pan on the center rack of your oven. Place the bread pudding in the 13 x 9 pan. Fill with water until water is about halfway up the side of your baking dish (containing the bread pudding). Bake for about 40 minutes or until a butter knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove bread pudding from the oven to cool slightly while you make the sauce.

for the sauce:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, warmed

2-3 Tbsp whiskey

Place the sugar in a medium saucepan set over very low heat. Melt the sugar, lightly stirring to prevent scorching, until sugar has melted completely and is golden. This will go slowly at first, resulting in lumps of sugar, but will speed up as the mixture heats.

Slowly add the cream in a stream, stirring it into the sugar mixture. Stir in the whiskey. Simmer the mixture for a few minutes until thickened (it will thicken more as it cools).

Serve the bread pudding with some of the sauce poured over the top.

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