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Easy Chocolate Bread Pudding

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Medium saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Baking Dish 9x13-inch
  • Spatula
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

For the Bread Base

  • 6 cups of day-old bread preferably brioche or challah, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the Custard Mixture

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For Baking and Topping

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • Powdered sugar optional
  • Whipped cream optional
  • Vanilla ice cream optional
  • Fresh berries optional

Instructions
 

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your baking dish with butter or non-stick spray to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Prepare the Bread

  1. Place the cubed bread in the baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the bread to ensure every bite is filled with chocolate goodness.
    cubed brioche bread and evenly scattered semisweet chocolate chips

Step 3: Make the Custard Mixture

  1. In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, heavy cream, cocoa powder, and sugar over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Do not boil.
    simmering mixture of milk, heavy cream, cocoa powder, and sugar
  2. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt. Slowly add the warm milk mixture while whisking continuously to prevent scrambling the eggs.

Step 4: Combine and Soak

  1. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down lightly so the bread absorbs the liquid. Let sit for about 10 minutes to fully soak.

Step 5: Bake to Perfection

  1. Drizzle the melted butter over the top and bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the top is set and slightly crispy. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

  1. Allow the pudding to cool for a few minutes before serving. Top with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent treat.