Cajun chocolate bread pudding
9 Servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | quart | Half-and-half |
| ¾ | cup | Sugar |
| 5 | Eggs, jumbo | |
| 3½ | teaspoon | Vanilla |
| 1½ | teaspoon | Cinnamon |
| 9 | cups | Fresh french bread cubes |
| 1 | cup | Milk chocolate chips |
| 4 | tablespoons | Butter, lightly salted; at room temperature |
| ¼ | cup | Sugar |
| 2 | tablespoons | Brandy |
| 1 | Egg | |
| 2 | tablespoons | Jack Daniel's Black Label whiskey |
| 4 | tablespoons | Butter, lightly salted |
| 1½ | cup | Whipping cream |
| ¾ | cup | Brown sugar |
| ¼ | teaspoon | Salt |
| ¼ | teaspoon | Cayenne pepper |
Directions
PUDDING
TOPPING
WHISKEY SAUCE
1. FOR THE PUDDING: Combine half-and-half, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Beat by hand for 3 minutes.
2. Cut bread into 1-inch square cubes. Add them to the half-and-half mixture. Let soak for 30 minutes, occasionally tossing gently.
3. Spoon soaked bread and leftover liquid into a buttered 10-inch cake pan. Push chocolate chips into pudding mixture. Set aside.
4. FOR THE TOPPING: Beat butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add sugar, brandy and egg. Beat at medium speed for 1 minute.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat at high speed for 1 minute. Pour topping over bread.
5. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 1½ hours. Let cool about 15 minutes.
6. FOR THE WHISKEY SAUCE: Combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan.
Simmer for 4 minutes, lightly whisking occasionally.
7. To serve: Cut pudding into serving-size pieces. Top with whiskey sauce. Serve warm.
Makes 9 to 12 servings.
Source: The Original Crawdaddy Bayou Restaurant in Wheeling, Illinois (printed in the Chicago Sun Times, January 15, 1997)