Or, the day I decided that bread + fruit + dairy + eggs + chocolate = a balanced dinner and dessert, all in one dish.
I wasn't actually expecting to like this. Like, at all. Sorry Lauren, but you can give me bread any day. You can give me chocolate any day. But why, oh why, would you soak said bread in a chocolate custard and then bake it?!? Seriously, that's just not okay. Mushy bread is not allowed here, mkay?
My skepticism continued through the entire assembly process. I had chopped up my bread a day earlier and let it dry out into sad little croutons. Not that it was much of a loss, as I had decided to seventh the recipe (yes, you read that right) and had just picked up a 3 oz squishy white roll from the deli. Yeecchhhh. Let it never be said that I withhold my opinion, right? Let's just say that after a day they were like raw croutons. A bit like cardboard. And then I made the custard - I don't know about you guys, but my chocolate was not going to melt into a custard after it had been cooling for 30 minutes. So it wasn't exactly a smooth and creamy chocolate custard - more like one with little flecks of chocolate throughout. And then it didn't seem like there was enough custard for the whole amount of bread (1.75 oz after drying). I did the "spoon treatment" and pressed it into the custard every 5 minutes for 30 minutes, but no dice. Oh, and did I mention I subbed prunes in for the raisins? Well, they were there, and I had really liked the chocolate + prune combo, so why the heck not?
So yes. Skepticism.
And then it went in the oven. You know what? My skepticism started disappearing. It smelled good. Like, chocolate cake good. But with bread, which happens to be my BFF. So out of the oven it came, after 25 minutes. The shortened time is due to some mini pans that I can't believe I haven't used yet - mini pie pans. Seriously, cutest things ever. My mom is the greatest mom EVER for getting these for me.
Right, back to the pudding. Dorie said that she liked it better at room temp or cold, so I restrained myself. And then I was distracted by vanilla ice cream with peanut butter patties (David Lebovitz, how I love you...). So it wasn't until Monday night that I managed to try this. I photographed it while my dinner was heating up, and of course had to try a spoonful. And that's when it hit me - my quinoa risotto with sage, peas, and shrimp just didn't sound nearly as good as that chocolate bread pudding. In case you were wondering, that risotto was hella good, so that shows you how strongly I feel about this bread pudding.
We might be BFFs.
Last Week: Amaretti Torte
Next Week: Chocolate Cream Tart
PS - You know what I said not too long ago? Yeah, I've come over to the dark side. Twitter. Blame it 100% on Y, but thanks CB for popping that twitter cherry o' mine :) I'm @engineerbaker
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
TWD: Chocolate Bread Pudding
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63 comments:
Oh, a bread pudding convert! How cool. Opinions are all over the ballpark on this one, but I'm glad you liked it. I have been looking at buying some mini pie pans ever since I gave my foil one away with a banana cream pie in it...
Nancy
I happen to love bread pudding :)
Haha I recently joined the dark side too, and started twittering like 2 days ago!
what a lovely story. I loved it too and those pans are adorable.
p.s. I am really interesting in the quinoa risotto. how I love quinoa....
Your post makes me wonder if I would've liked it had I given it a try. Hmmmm.... :) Glad you enjoyed it!
Glad you liked it so much! The prunes soumd like a good sub for raisins.
I'm happy that you ended up liking this! Looks delicious!
Your minipans look soooo cute. I made mini's too, but didn't like the pudding. I must have done something wrong as mine were quite dry, I also cooked them for 25 minutes...
Bread pudding is a weird combination of words I agree. I am a fan on vanilla custard bread pudding, but I really liked this one too. It was even better drizzled with chocolate sauce or cream anglaise! Love the little pie pans!
I love the mini pans, so cute! I am so glad you liked the bread pudding, really yummy!
I think I have those same little pans! I liked this one, but it I don't think it'll be a new favorite. I'm glad you enjoyed it, though!
You have a new BFF! Yeah for you. Plain bread will be so jealous, but I'm sure it will get over it eventually. LOVE your little mini pie plates. Great job.
I think bread pudding just needs a new name to make it sound more appealing. Those pans are awesome!
A well told story. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This is the cutest story ever. I hate mushy bread unless we are talking about bread pudding. I'm so glad you ended up liking it.
I love that you love bread pudding now! It's so yummy, even tho it sounds and looks gross. Great job!
Bread pudding for dinner. Why didn't I think of that!!!!!
Welcome to the dark side! We have #cake. ;)
/Clara
what a great little narrative, and nice looking treat :)
So glad that you enjoyed this! It is always fun to think you are going to hate something and end up loving it. This are seriously cute in those pie dishes! Off to follow you on Twitter (yet another huge, but fun, time black hole . . .)
Bread pudding is my most favorite dessert ever. I'm glad you tried it, you can make sooo many different flavors too. And I'm beyond impressed that you made a 7th of the recipe! I have trouble halving a recipe.
I loved reading your run down on this one! I felt the exact same all the way through, but can't claim the love at the end, we are just in like. Anyway, I am glad to find out you are now on Twitter!
I didn't use fruit in mine, but I did use donuts.
Loving the mini pie pans! Sounds like such a happy ending to the story! I love recipes like that--low expectations and then BAM you realize how much you actually like it!
Love those little pie pans...tell Mom I want some, too. The bread pudding looks really good...I think you must have created a whole new recipe by the time you finished...so creative you are on a weekly basis over there and all. I know...the Whisk Chicks guilted me into Twitter. Now I have to actually tweet or whatever it is...maybe later in the week.
Sheeesh - can you pass along your mathematician skills to me?
I love the mini pie pans - I just bought the larger one from Sur La Table the other day. Of course it's the momma size one.
Sounds like we had a really similar experience! I almost didn't make this and when I did I did not expect to like it at all. But it was SO delicious! I'm a convert :)
Your mini bread puddings make me think...it's only 3pm, I can still make and post it tonight, and it will still be Tuesday... :)
I am with you on wet bread! Hate it! Won't go near a sandwich with even damp bread. But the chocolate really elevated this, and custard is a good thing no matter how it's used. I'm glad Dorie won you over (again) and you enjoyed it. And I love those mini pie pans!
I'm glad the bread pudding ended up being a success for you. I have some mini pie pans and have not used them yet...
You really seem to express feelings that I would have about the bread, well the entire process. It actually makes me think I'd like to try this one and I'm not a bread pudding liker at all.
And the mini pie pans . . . well, I'm wishing.
The mini pie plans are too, too cute. And I had the chocolate bread pudding for breakfast, so dinner seems healthier somehow.
Mini Pie pans!! Cute! :) Glad you ended up liking this! Yum!
love your mini pie pans! Pleased you liked this
Delicious bread pudding. I like how you baked them in an individual pan like that. It's neater for sure.
Cheers,
elra
Don't you love a good baking surprise! It would be hard not to like this bread pudding.
Oh, I want mini pie pans! Cute and useful!
glad you were converted, bread pudding can be hit or miss. this one was a hit for me. i'm now one of your twitter followers. :)
During my baking weekend I made a chocolate tart and with the leftover Dorie's pie crust I made a little cutie-pie he he So fun. ( in a mini-pan) I so Get-it. Glad you did too. So glad you liked the CBP and woot woot you like dark chocolate? yea yea
AmyRuth
This was perfect for breakfast this morning. Again, your minis are great. Tell you what, I'll trade my 96 for your 40.
Thanks so much for baking with me...and trying new combos! My chocolate was also a bit spotty, but the end turned out fine. Love your storytelling and pictures.
Glad you decided that you like it! It looks delicious!
Oh this was so good. So. Good!
Cool! I'm glad you liked it.
I'm trying to figure out how mine was chocolate soup and yours is so... so, dry. Hmmmm, too many variables!
I'm glad to hear that you liked this. I've never had bread pudding, and I have some of the same reservations--not a fan of mushy bread. But I'll have to give it a try.
Your mom is the best. These are too cute! Glad you are a convert! ;)
Love those mini-pie pans (yay Mom!). I am super impressed that you're a bread pudding convert!! This bread pudding must be daaarn good if it can convert even the biggest skeptic. Looks totally delicious! I could definitely eat this for dinner and dessert.
Oh jeez, prunes! I didn't even use fruit - prunes would have been righteous.
I love those mini pie pans!
What a great mom.
So happy that yours turned out so well. Just lovely!
I'm glad this made you a convert!
I'm so glad that you came around to bread pudding. It's one of those things that sounds kinda questionable, if not gross, but it can be oh-so-good. I like the addition of the prunes (are they leftover from the chocolate armagnac cake?). Chocolate and fruit is just such a great combo.
I had little specks of chocolate in the warmed custard too! but i guess it didn't matter, since it turned out well for our bread pudding. ;-) Love the idea of baking the bread pudding in mini pie pans.
1/7Th of the recipe! I thought I was crazy making 1/6th :) I too wasn't expecting much and ended up loving this recipe.
Just came across your blog from a fellow TWDer. I think I'm one of the few who didn't have success with this. My bread was too stale. I'm going to have to give it another go someday considering how much so many people loved it.
Now to the reason I'm really here...vanilla ice cream with peanut butter patties...what?! Where? How? Sounds yummy. :)
Ah, what can I say. It was all about being at the right place, right time, to give you that little push you needed ;)
I love those mini pie pans!
Good for you that you ended up really liking this. And with Ice Cream. Perfect.
Adorable pans! I like the build-up in your story to becoming a bread pudding convert. The risotto sounds delicious, too.
I love a good "I wasn't sure about this but now I love it" story! Don't knock it 'til you try it, right? Looks great in mini-form, as always. :)
I am glad you are a bread pudding lover now! Woo hoo! ;)
Nice to know this recipe is a winner. Just realized I haven't had chocolate in weeks. What the twuck?
Hope to, uh, tweet with you soon.
My mom just gave me a set of mini pans like that! NOW I'm excited about giving them a go.
Wow. Sometimes I half recipes, but never have I done the mental math necessary to seventh a recipe! I think that's why you're the engineer. :) So glad that this bread pudding made you a convert!
I'm glad this bread pudding recipe converted you! Twitter is very addictive and a fun way to keep in touch!
Ha glad you liked it--it looks great!
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