Thanksgiving is almost here! And what I am truly thankful for, beyond all that I’m lucky to have in my life, is the sheer enjoyment that good chocolate and a good glass of wine brings. And apparently I’m not alone. Chocolate and wine have been revered and celebrated for thousands of years, deemed as gifts from the ancient gods for their magical powers.
In the spirit of this time for giving, as my gift to you, I am revealing for the first time my coveted and secret recipe for Chocolate Crème Brûlée Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce! You and your guests will be speechless once you try and many yummy noises will fill the room. Don’t forget to give me some credit. :)
This is the ultimate indulgence. And you’ll thank me for it! Read on…
Luxx Chocolat Crème Brûlée Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce
Bread Pudding
½ loaf of Challah bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 cup of 72% Valrhona dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of nutmeg
5 1/3 cups heavy cream
7 egg yolks
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
4 vanilla pods – slice each down the center and scrape out the seeds
Bourbon Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 egg yolks
2 to 4 tablespoons bourbon (I use Rebellion Bourbon)
Preheat the oven to 225ºF.
Spray a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Mix together the Challah bread and ½ the chocolate in the baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream, egg yolks, sugar, half of the cinnamon, half the nutmeg and vanilla seeds. Pour the cream mixture over the bread and let soak in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Then cover the top with the remaining chocolate, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Bake the bread pudding for 50 minutes to an hour, until the custard is set and jiggles slightly when gently shaken. Remove from the oven and turn on the broiler. Place the bread pudding under the broiler until the top turns deeply golden and is lightly crispy, about 2 to 5 minutes.
For the Bourbon Sauce – Make this sauce just prior to serving. Heat the sugar and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Place the egg yolks in a bowl and slowly pour the warm butter in while whisking constantly. Add the Bourbon according to taste.
To serve, scoop the bread pudding into serving bowls. I like to use a mason jar for guests to pour their own sauce. Drizzle each serving with sauce. Serves 6-8 people.
Have a happy Thanksgiving and enjoy!
Lisa Mecray Rogers, award-winning Master Chocolatier and Founder of Luxx Chocolat® xquisite artisan chocolate, ChocoVin Chocolate & Wine Tastings® and Luxx Academy du Chocolat offering classes with adults in mind, Ridgewood resident, recognized as one of the Best Chocolatiers & Confectioners in America. Luxx Chocolat offers unique handcrafted works of art. Nothing artificial, no preservatives, not mass produced.