Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

12 ounces chocolate chips, divided

6 egg yolks

2 eggs

1/2  cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups cream

1/2  cup milk

Bourbon Crème Anglaise

1 cup cream

1/2 cup half and half

1/4 cup bourbon

3/4 cup sugar, divided

4 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

6 croissants

Lightly butter an 8 1/4”x 8 1/2”x 2 1’2” Ceramic Baking Dish     

Place half of the chocolate chips in a double boiler. Heat the vanilla, cream and milk with half the sugar and pour over melted chocolate. Combine the other half of the sugar with the eggs and yolks and whip until light and fluffy. Temper the hot chocolate mixture slowly into egg mixture. Cut the croissants in half. Submerge the bottom halves of the croissants into the custard mixture and soak for 10 minutes. Gently remove them from the custard, and cover the bottom of the baking dish with the soaked croissant halves. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the soaked croissants. Soak the tops of the croissants in the remaining custard mixture for 10 minutes. Gently remove them from the custard and arrange them atop the chocolate chips. Pour and remaining custard over the croissants. Cover and refrigerate over night.

Preheat oven to 325

Remove the prepared bread pudding from the refrigerator one hour before baking. Press the croissant down to make sure all of the custard has been absorbed into the croissants. Cover the bread pudding with a sheet of wax paper, followed by a sheet of aluminum foil.

Place the covered baking dish in a large roasting pan, and fill the pan with hot water so that it comes 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the baking dish.

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and wax paper cover and bake for 20-30 more minutes, the bread pudding should jiggle slightly, but have no liquid custard remaining.

Remove from the oven and allow the bread pudding to rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Place a small pool of the bourbon crème anglaise on each serving dish. Cut the bread pudding into 6-8 portions and place each piece in the center of the crème anglais, serve immediately.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Bourbon Crème Anglaise

In a stainless steel pot bring the cream, half and half, bourbon, vanilla and half of the sugar to a simmer. While it is heating, combine the yolks and remaining sugar in a mixing bowl and whip until light in color.

Slowly add the hot cream mixture into to yolks while stirring constantly. Return the mixture to the pot and cook over a low-medium flame stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat a spoon or spatula.

Remove from the heat and cool down in an ice bath.

Yield: 8 servings