I assume that most of you, like me, have entered into full-scale winter hibernation mode. The one thing making the dead of winter bearable is the entitlement (or self-pity) that I muster up in order to justify indulgement in comforting (read: unhealthy) foods, combined with long bouts of inactivity and television. Bring it on, winter! I have a Snuggie, and some elastic waistband pants, a fork and a large casserole dish of macaroni and cheese! And a whole season of Downton Abbey to catch up on! (Yes, I am aware that I am late to the game. I don’t even know why I like it yet I can’t look away.) OH — and also, a bread pudding composed of challah, bittersweet chocolate and bourbon in the oven for dessert. Which you are also going to make.
Although I generally try my best to provide recipes that you can make when you’re short on time, sometimes it’s good to encourage a full day of lounging on the couch and cooking something that takes more than half an hour. And even in this case, your prep time is ridiculously low: you heat and mix some stuff, wait a bit, then you bake it for an hour. You could watch at least one episode of Downton while it bakes, and at the end — dessert! Or, if you are accepting people into your home and being “social,” you can prep before you cook, throw in the oven while you eat, and have a rich, boozy, chocolatey, not-too-sweet dessert ready to end things off.
This recipe is adapted from one that is drizzled with a spiced cream, but I’ve never been a huge fan of overly spiced desserts (carrot cake with cream cheese frosting excluded). Instead, I’ve given you the option, if you want to be a little fancy, to make a vanilla crème anglaise to drizzle over top, which is far easier than people think (and can also be made in advance) — plus, there’s still a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg in the pudding, which plays nicely off the chocolate. But if you’re glued to the couch, just throw some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top, or serve all on its own — nobody will complain. If you can’t get your hands on any challah, a loaf of French bread will do just fine. If you like sweeter desserts, you can sub in semi-sweet chocolate chips in place of bittersweet and increase the sugar to ¾ cup.
Chocolate-Bourbon-Challah Bread Pudding with Vanilla Crème Anglaise
Serves 8
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
2 cups half and half (or whole milk, or a combination of the two)
1½ cups bittersweet chocolate chips, about 1 pound
4 large eggs
⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup bourbon (optional)
8 slices day-old challah (egg) bread, crusts removed and cut into ½ inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 6-cup (9 x 5 x 3-inch) loaf pan with butter.
2. Heat the half and half or milk gently over medium heat in a large saucepan. When the cream comes up to a gentle boil, whisk in 1 cup of the chocolate chips, whisking constantly until all of the chips have melted and are incorporated into the cream. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and bourbon together in a large mixing bowl until very smooth. Add the egg mixture to the cream mixture and mix well. Add the bread, incorporate thoroughly and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Pour half of the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate chips. Pour the remaining bread mixture over the chocolate chips. Bake until the pudding is set in the centre, about 55 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. To serve, cut the pudding into 1-inch thick slices. Top with crème anglaise, ice cream or whip cream, or serve plain.
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Vanilla Crème Anglaise
Adapted from Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make At Home by Ina Garten
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 cup milk
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean or ½ tsp vanilla extract
1. In a medium saucepan, heat milk to scalding (just below a boil — when it begins to steam, you should be there).
2. While milk is heating up, beat together the egg yolks and sugar for about 3 minutes on medium high until the mixture gets thick and turns a pale yellow color. Reduce the speed to low, and stir in the cornstarch. The cornstarch will help prevent curdling.
3. With the mixer on medium low, slowly pour the scalded milk into the egg mixture. Pour the custard back into your saucepan and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula (don’t forget to reach into the corners). Cook until the crème anglaise reaches about 170F and thickens slightly (keep in mind this isn’t a very thick sauce — if you can run a line through it with your finger on the back of your wooden spoon and the line remains visible, it’s the right thickness. Avoid going over 180F or your eggs will scramble).
4. Pour the sauce through a fine meshed strainer, add vanilla seeds or vanilla extract. Chill the crème anglaise until ready to serve.
Sara Chan is a Toronto-based entertainment lawyer, food enthusiast, unprofessional home chef and even less professional food photographer. Her favourite food group is pork.