Bread-and-butter pudding is so dangerously addictive! I used to make this at a restaurant in San Francisco by soaking slices of homemade brioche in a creamy custard made with fine melted dark chocolate, cream, and egg yolks. It was so rich, it was practically sinful. It was baked in a rectangular pan but I would cut out circular pieces with a cookie cutter to create a beautiful plated dessert that the patrons would appreciate. This left bread pudding scraps that seemed a shame to throw away, so I would collect them into a big bowl for the staff to enjoy. I consciously tried to keep from eating those scraps myself. It was a war between self-control and self-indulgence, a fight I didn’t always win.
Makes 6 servings
1 In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, chocolate, and milk and heat over medium heat just until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
2 In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until combined.
3 While whisking swiftly, gradually pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
4 Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl to remove any lumps.
5 Whisk in the vanilla and salt. Set aside to cool completely, about 1 hour.
6 Butter the slices of bread. Remove and discard the crusts and cut the buttered bread into cubes.
7 Add the bread to the bowl with the custard, pushing the bread down with a spatula until submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to overnight for the bread to soak up the custard. (I usually let it soak overnight.)
8 When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
9 Pour your bread pudding mixture into the prepared baking dish.
10 Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. It’s okay if the bread pudding is a little soft in the middle when it comes out of the oven—that means it is nice and saucy on the inside.
11 Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream. Store any leftovers in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.