SERVES 12
Challah can be found in most bakeries and supermarkets. If you cannot find challah, a firm high-quality sandwich bread such as Arnold Country Classics White or Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White may be substituted. It is important to use Dutch-processed cocoa in this recipe. Natural cocoa powder will make the bread pudding too bitter.
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14 |
ounces challah bread, cut into ½-inch cubes |
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4 |
cups heavy cream |
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2 |
cups whole milk |
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1 |
cup (7 ounces) sugar |
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½ |
cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder |
|
1 |
tablespoon instant espresso powder |
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8 |
ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped |
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10 |
large egg yolks |
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Toast bread on rimmed baking sheet, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
2. Increase oven temperature to 325 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Heat 1½ cups cream, milk, ½ cup sugar, cocoa, and espresso powder in saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming and sugar dissolves. Pour warm cream mixture over toasted bread and let stand, tossing occasionally, until liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup cream to simmer in saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth. Transfer 1 cup chocolate mixture to medium bowl and let cool for 5 minutes (cover pan and reserve remaining chocolate mixture for serving). Add egg yolks, remaining 1½ cups cream, and remaining ½ cup sugar to bowl with chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.
4. Transfer soaked bread mixture to prepared pan and pour chocolate custard mixture evenly over bread. Bake until pudding is just set and surface is slightly crisp, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes. Warm reserved chocolate mixture over low heat, then pour over bread pudding. Serve. (Leftover bread pudding should be refrigerated; reheat individual portions in microwave.)
TO MAKE AHEAD: In step 4, once soaked bread mixture has been transferred to prepared pan, pan can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. When ready to bake, remove plastic and proceed with recipe as directed, increasing baking time to 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let reserved chocolate serving sauce cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Heat sauce in microwave when needed.