Desserts:
Chocolate Bread Pudding with
Brandy Cream
from
Stop
and Smell the Rosemary...
Recipes and Traditions to Remember
INGREDIENTS FOR BRANDY CREAM:
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup brandy
1/8 teaspoon salt
INGREDIENTS FOR PUDDING:
1 loaf brioche (12 inches), cut into 12 slices, or 6 to 8 croissants,
halved
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup milk
12 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
TO PREPARE:
Brandy Cream: Whisk egg yolks and sugar until well blended.
Bring cream and milk to a boil in a heavy saucepan over moderately high
heat. Whisk half of the hot cream into yolk mixture and then whisk
yolks back into remaining hot cream in saucepan. Whisk mixture over
low heat until thick, but not boiling. Remove from heat. Stir
in brandy and salt. Strain Brandy Cream and chill overnight.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush bread
slices with melted butter and toast on both sides until golden brown.
Watch carefully so bottoms don't burn. Melt chocolate in top of a
double boiler. Combine cream and milk in a separate saucepan, and
heat until almost boiling. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a mixing
bowl. While whisking, slowly add hot cream mixture to egg yolk mixture.
Strain mixture into a separate bowl and skim off foam. Slowly add
strained mixture to melted chocolate, whisking constantly. Stir in
vanilla and salt.
Arrange bread slices in a 9 by 13-inch baking
dish, overlapping rows. Pour chocolate mixture over bread.
Cover dish with plastic wrap, placing 2 small plates on top to weight it
down. Press down every 10 minutes for 1 hour. This will allow
the bread to totally absorb the liquid. (At this point, pudding can
be refrigerated overnight, but bring it to room temperature before baking.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove
plastic wrap from baking dish and place in a hot water bath 1-1/2 inches
deep (1/2 inch, or slightly more, from top of baking dish). Bake
45 minutes, or until pudding looks glossy and liquid is absorbed.
Serve with Brandy Cream.
SERVES 12
Copyright 1996 The Junior League of Houston, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Visit The
Junior League of Houston web site to purchase copies of Stop
and Smell the Rosemary and other fine cookbooks, or call (713)
627-COOK.
The Junior League of Houston, Inc. is an organization
of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of
women and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership
of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and
charitable. All proceeds from League fundraising efforts, including
from the sale of Stop and Smell the Rosemary,
are returned to the community.
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