Death by Chocolate Bread Pudding

This bread pudding is going to put you into a chocolate coma… and worth every bite. It’s a rich and decadent bread pudding filled with chocolate and pecans. The bread pudding has a firm but creamy texture and the pecans add a nice crunch. Alone, it’s delicious. But add the simple chocolate sauce and this is out of this world good. You don’t have to dip the strawberries in chocolate, but it’s a nice touch for presentation. This bread pudding recipe is easy enough to make any time you want an indulgent dessert, but special enough for a holiday or special occasion.

How to make Death by Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ingredients

Bread Pudding

• 1 – loaf French or Italian bread
• 4 – eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 4 cups half and half or heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup slightly sweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Sauce

• 1 package slightly sweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips, 12 oz.
• 1 stick butter
• 1 – 1 1/4 cups half and half or heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Strawberries, dipped in the chocolate for garnish

Ingredients

1. Tear your loaf of bread into small chunks. When I make bread pudding, I prefer to allow my bread to sit for several hours or overnight to “stale.” I tear the bread in pieces into a large bowl and cover it with a dishtowel until I am ready to mix it all together.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
3. In a medium-size bowl, mix slightly beaten eggs, sugar, half and half (or cream), and vanilla. Beat on medium until well blended.
4. Melt the butter in the microwave and slowly blend into the sugar mixture.
5. Pour this mixture over the bread pieces. Stir gently to coat all the bread pieces evenly.
6. Gently fold the chocolate chips and the pecans evenly into the bread mixture.
7. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes to absorb the liquid.
8. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan.
9. Bake 45-50 minutes or until lightly brown but not overdone.
10. Allow to cool a bit while you prepare the chocolate sauce. Do not prepare the chocolate sauce until the bread pudding is ready to come out. it will get too hard.
11. For the chocolate sauce, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and the butter.
12. Check and stir every 30 seconds or so. Add vanilla extract.
13. Once melted and stirred smooth, add your half and half (or cream) about 1/4 cup at a time stirring well.
14. Microwave another 30 seconds each time until you get it to the consistency that you want it to be to allow you to drizzle it. You may need up to 1 cup of half and half (or cream).
15. At this point, for each person you plan on serving, dip a strawberry in the chocolate mixture and set them on waxed paper to dry.
16. Dish up everyone’s bread pudding, add the chocolate sauce and then garnish with a chocolate covered strawberry.