Chocolate Bread Pudding
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Calling all chocolate lovers! Made from challah soaked in a rich chocolate custard, this dark chocolate bread pudding is pure comfort in every spoonful.
This rich chocolate bread pudding is the ultimate comfort food for chocolate lovers. Made with challah bread, a hot chocolate-flavored custard, and plenty of chocolate chunks, it’s a deeply chocolatey and satisfying dessert. I like to add a splash of bourbon to the custard to enhance the chocolate flavor, but if you’d rather not use alcohol, you can use brewed coffee instead. Serve the bread pudding warm from the oven topped with vanilla ice cream.
Table of Contents
“I made this for my husband for Valentine’s Day…He called it ‘a gastronomic explosion of chocolate deliciousness.’ And it truly is.”
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Provides a rich and deep chocolate flavor. Choose a good quality chocolate for the best results.
- Whole Milk: The base of your custard, whole milk adds creaminess and richness.
- Sugar: Sweetens the pudding, balancing the bitterness of the chocolate and cocoa powder.
- Cocoa Powder: Enhances the chocolate flavor, giving the pudding an extra depth of chocolatey goodness.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Bourbon: Adds wonderful depth of flavor.
- Cinnamon: Provides a warm, spicy undertone that complements the chocolate.
- Eggs: Essential for the custard base, eggs help to thicken the mixture and give it structure.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the pudding.
- Vanilla Extract: A classic pairing with chocolate that rounds out the flavor.
- Challah: With pillowy texture and slightly sweet flavor, it’s perfect for soaking up the chocolate custard mixture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Chop the chocolate into ¼-inch chunks. Reserve ⅓ cup and set aside (you’ll use this for sprinkling over the bread pudding before baking).
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar and cocoa powder. Add the butter and bring to a boil.
Off the heat, add the remaining chocolate, bourbon and cinnamon.
Whisk to combine.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt and vanilla extract.
Very gradually, pour the hot chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously to combine (pour slowly, especially at the beginning, or the hot chocolate mixture will scramble the eggs).
Add the bread cubes to the chocolate custard.
Cover and let soak in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the chocolate bread mixture to the prepared baking dish. Scatter the reserved chocolate over top, then use a spoon to push about half of the chocolate bits down into the pudding.
Bake until slightly puffed and set in the center, 45 to 55 minutes.
Let cool about 10 minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can prepare chocolate bread pudding in advance. Assemble the bread pudding and refrigerate it before baking. You can keep it in the fridge for several hours or overnight. When you’re ready to serve, bake it according to the recipe instructions. Just remember to give it a little extra time in the oven if you’re starting from cold.
Yes, it can also be frozen, after baking, for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Before serving, reheat in a 300°F-oven until warmed through.
Challah is a great choice for bread pudding due to its rich, eggy texture and slightly sweet flavor. Other good options include brioche or a sturdy French bread.
Yes, the bourbon can be substituted based on preference. You can use another type of liquor like rum or brandy to add a different flavor profile. If you prefer not to use any alcohol, simply replace it with more milk or coffee.
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Chocolate Bread Pudding
Calling all chocolate lovers! Made from challah soaked in a rich chocolate custard, this dark chocolate bread pudding is pure comfort in every spoonful.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups (packed) 1-inch challah cubes (about 9 oz), from 1 loaf
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Chop the chocolate into ¼-inch chunks. Reserve ⅓ cup and set aside (you'll use this for sprinkling over the bread pudding before baking).
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar, and cocoa powder. Add the butter and bring to a boil. Off the heat, add the remaining chocolate, bourbon and cinnamon and whisk until smooth.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and vanilla extract. Very gradually, pour the hot chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously to combine (pour slowly, especially at the beginning, or the hot chocolate mixture will scramble the eggs). Add the bread cubes to the custard; cover and let soak in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the chocolate bread mixture to the prepared baking dish. Scatter the reserved chocolate over top, then use a spoon to push about half of the chocolate bits down into the pudding. Bake until slightly puffed and set in the center, about 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread pudding can be assembled and refrigerated overnight before baking; just remember to give it a few extra minutes in the oven if starting from cold. It can also be frozen, after baking, for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Before serving, reheat in a 300°F-oven until warmed through.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 381
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Sugar: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 258 mg
- Cholesterol: 127 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jen, this looks so good! Could you make the whole recipe and bake in two separate pans, serving one and freezing the other for another day?
Hi Cathy, unfortunately I don’t think this will freeze well (because of all the dairy). Sorry!
Oh my goodness. I recommend halving this recipe & serving 24. A full recipe was way too much for 12. Lots of leftovers for the next day. MUST be served with ice cream to avoid chocolate overdose even in the seasoned chocoholic. It is incredibly rich & moist.
MT
This sounds delicious, but I have a friend who avoids dairy. Would coconut cream work as a substitution for half and half?
D, It’s possible it might work with coconut milk but not coconut cream. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.
I made this on the weekend and it was amazing. It was so rich and chocolatey. The challah bread is not readily available, so I used regular white sliced bread instead. I would imagine that with the egg bread, it would be even richer. The best thing was that it was a large pudding so we had leftovers for the following couple of days. Warmed up in the microwave, it was just as good as the first day. By the way, we served it with Reese’s peanut butter ice cream which was even more amazing.
This was absolutely fantastic!
I made this delicious dessert and it is delectable! I could not find challah bread so I used a loaf of Brioche french bread and the recipe turned out well. We added a little caramel sauce and served it warm with ice cream. Delish! I like it cold almost as much as I do warm.
I made this decadent dessert for Valentine’s Day. Oh my goodness!! Best bread pudding ever!! Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous recipe!!!
Unbelievable! I made this for my husband for Valentine’s Day because we all know nothing says “love” like chocolate. . . and he absolutely loved it. He called it “a gastronomic explosion of chocolate deliciousness.” And it truly is. Very easy straightforward instructions even for the novice cook. This is definitely a keeper in my recipe file.
I made your suggested Valentine’s Day meal and it was delectable. Cleanup today was easy because I made the stew last night as you suggested. I ended up making my own challah for the pudding. Thanks for the recipes and the menu.
You’re welcome, Elizabeth! So glad it turned out well 🙂
Can I use brioche for the bread? How many people will this serve?
Thanks so much!
Yes, Marilyn — brioche will work beautifully. Serves 12 easily.
Thank you so much for getting back to me. It’s going in the oven soon! We have exactly 12 people, so I hope no one wants seconds. I can hardly wait to taste it.