Gramercy Tavern’s Chocolate Bread Pudding

By Nancy Olsen
(Serves 12)

Ingredients:

• Egg yolks – 2
• Whole eggs – 4
• Heavy cream – 3 cups
• Whole milk – 2 cups
• Vanilla bean, split and scraped – 1
• Sugar – 1 ½ cups
• Brioche, cut into small cubes – 1 pound loaf, crusts removed
• Bittersweet chocolate, chopped – 4 ounces
• Vanilla extract – ¾ teaspoon
• Milk chocolate pieces to bake inside – 2 ounces
• Bittersweet chocolate pieces to bake inside – 2 ounces

1.    Bring to a boil the cream, one cup of the milk, the split and scraped vanilla bean, and sugar.  Whisk together the remaining cup of milk with the eggs and egg yolks.
2.    Gently melt the four ounces bittersweet chocolate over barely simmering water.
3.    Gradually whisk some of the hot liquid into the egg mixture.  Then whisk the egg mix into the remaining hot liquid.  Gradually whisk about one cup of this egg/cream mixture into the melted chocolate.   Finally whisk the melted chocolate mixture into the remaining hot liquid.  Add the vanilla extract.
4.    Pour all this chocolate liquid over the small bread cubes.  Whisk to combine and to break up the bread pieces.  Pour into a buttered 9 X 13 inch pan.
5.    Sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate pieces and bake in a preheated 325˚ oven for approximately 45 to 55 minutes until set.

Note:
Leftovers can be refrigerated and eaten over the next couple of days, served either cold or re-warmed gently in the microwave or oven.

Address: 42 East 20th Street, nr. Park Avenue South
Phone: (212)477-0777