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Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

Source of Recipe

From "Once Upon A Chef" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"Given its origin as a way to use up stale bread, bread pudding is usually thought of as a thrifty, humble dessert. But this recipe for flaky croissants baked in bourbon-spiked custard with pockets of melted chocolate is decadent in every way. And yet it's almost absurdly easy to make: you simply whisk the custard, pour it over the croissants and chocolate, let soak, and bake. Though there's bourbon in the recipe, the bread pudding does not have a boozy flavor. I recommend it for depth of flavor, but for those who avoid alcohol, it's fine to replace the bourbon with coffee or more half-and-half."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ¾ pound croissants, torn into 1-inch chunks
â—¦ 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
â—¦ 5 eggs
â—¦ 3 cups half-and-half
â—¦ 1 cup sugar
â—¦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ cup bourbon
â—¦ Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)


Recipe

Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place the torn croissants in the dish. Scatter the chopped chocolate over the top and toss gently with your hands to mix.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Add the half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, salt, and bourbon; whisk until well combined. Pour the custard evenly over the croissants and chocolate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours to allow the croissants to soak up the custard.

Preheat the oven to 350° F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden and the center is set, about 20 minutes more. Spoon into bowls and top with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Serves 10 to 12