Cranberry Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding

A friend was off work for a couple weeks for a medical procedure and it only seemed fitting to greet her back to work with her favorite - Bread Pudding.

This is one of the versions I made for her... a better picture from when I made it previously... LOL I love bread pudding. I love to play with it - make it with pumpkin bread and lower the sugar in the custard. I've been meaning to make it with cake donuts or regular donuts and haven't figured out what to put with them.

Anyway, this one is one of my favorites because of the chocolate of course. LOL and maybe the tiny dash of Grand Mariner that sneaks into the custard.



Cranberry Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding

Not going to kid you - I don't measure this... I pick out my baking dish and brush it all over with softened butter and then fill it up. So... this version is as follows. ...

Sourdough bread - cut into strips or cubes or whatever you think will fit best.

Semi sweet chocolate chips

dried cranberries - I don't mind these ones having some form of essence .. that being said, I used Trader Joe's dried orange cranberries.

Slivered Almonds - you can use sliced ... I just had slivered on hand.

Put down a layer of bread in the bottom of your dish and press down with your hand to make sure you've got a good layer there... add a bit more if it shifts around.

Sprinkle liberally with the chocolate and the cranberries before adding an artfully sprinkled handful of the almonds.

More bread... press down again - you don't want it too full... you need to have room for the custard. Sprinkle again with the cranberries, chocolate and the almonds. It doesn't need to completely cover, just look pretty... ;o)

Custard:
**Modified from the bread pudding recipe in Paula Deen's cookbook: The Lady & Sons Just Desserts. so totally inspired by her recipe... I really just look at proportions and cooking times in the cookbook so then I play with it. LOL

5 eggs

1 cup milk

1/3 to 1 C sugar - I don't like mine overly sweet - that's what the chocolate is for.

2 tsp vanilla extract - I will sometimes do 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp grand mariner or orange extract

1- 2 tsp cinnamon - I'll also admit to just shaking it in and not measuring.

whisk well and pour over your layered mix in the baking dish. Now... for 5 eggs, you'll probably want an oval baking dish, a 2 quart casserole or a 9x13 pan. You can back off an egg and use less milk and sugar if you're using an 8x8 square dish.

put a few dots of butter on top and bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes. (If I forget the butter now, then yes, I do brush the top with butter when it comes out of the oven)

This won't be too custardy and it really would sub well for french toast in the morning. Good warm, room temperature or cold. ;o) Travels well... *nods*

and most definitely on the menu