chocolate chip bread pudding

this one's for you Grandma :)


This is a recipe I love to make, and actually have a million different varites for it. Bread pudding is something typically thought to be accompanied with cinnamon and raisins, which of course is fine but I have too many ideas to limit my recipe to just that. Here is my basic chocolate chip bread pudding, but along the way I'll note varaiations that either I've tried or want to try. Choose which you think is best!

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large beaten eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups cubed Italian bread
• Milk Chocolate chips

Topping:

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F. 

Grease the pan. For this reciepe I decided to try out my new bundt pan, but I've also done this many times in a 13 by 9 or even cut the whole recipe in half and done it in an 8 by 8. Either way, grease the pan using your favorite method.

Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla in a bowl. Here's where you can get creative: there have been a few times I haven't had all the milk I needed and I've used vanilla coffee creamer. I imagine any flavor creamer would be really good, but if you're using a super sweet kind, use about 1/4 c less sugar. I've also added cinnamon and cloves to this part of the reciepe, which is especially good if you want to use raisins. 

Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes. The bread is also something you can play with- I used the typical Italian baguette that was slightly stale. But I've also used Italian whole wheat baguettes or any kind of old bread laying around. Cinnamon raisin bagels are something I've always wanted to try for the bread, which I bet would be really good. I've also done this same reciepe with really stale Christmas cookies- snickerdoodles or oatmeal raisins. We always have some sitting around weeks after christmas and as along as you break them up into bite sized pieces, the reciepe works the same!

In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar and butter. Walnuts or peacans would be good too :)

Add chocolate chips to the soaked bread mixture. I really don't measure when I use chocolate chips for this reciepe, because lets face it, you can't have too much chocolate. But I used about 3/4 of a 12oz bag, but use as much or as little as you like. Here's where you can also change some of the recipe: I've thought about adding carmel pieces and allowing them to melt in the oven. I've also thought about chopping up toffey candy or candy bars and adding them. Whatever you want!

Pour bread mixture into prepared pan.

Spread brown sugar mixture over the top. I've doubled this reciepe for when I use a 13 by 9 pan. This is similar to the chocolate chips in the sense that you can't really have too much of it. It really makes the dessert!


Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set.


In the past I've done a glaze to top it with, although it really doesn't need it. But if you wished to do so, especially with a cinnamon raisin kind, just mix 1 cup powdered sugar and a tablespoon or 2 of milk, brandy, or water.

Everybody who I make this for seems to like it, so I hope you do too! It's best served right out of the oven after it's not so hot, but if you store it at room temp with plastic wrap over the pan or in an air tight container it should be fine for a day or two. But good luck making it last til then!

Enjoy :)

Chelsea