Chocolate Bread Pudding With White Chocolate Amaretto Sauce

FLUFFSTER's Note:

Although I realize that with the holidays over, calories aren't the most favorite topic, but I made this delicious, decadent bread pudding recently, and want so much to share it with you.It's is from the Feb. '06 issue of Cuisine magazine.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

Melt

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
• 1 cup brown sugar , firmly packed
• ½ cup unsalted butter , cubed

whisk together

• 2 cups whole milk or 2 cups 2% low-fat milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• ½ teaspoon table salt

pour the egg mixture over

• 13 slices Texas toast thick bread , which has first been (thick egg bread)

White chocolate cream

• 4 ounces white chocolate , chopped (only use white chocolate that has cocoa butter in it. That's what gives the chocolate it's flavor)
• 2⁄3; cup heavy cream (I used whipping cream)
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons Amaretto
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• fresh raspberry

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*, coat a 9" springform pan with 1 tablespoons softened unsalted butter.
2. Melt chocolate chips with the sugar and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until chips are smooth, about 8 minutes.
3. Whisk milk, eggs,vanilla, espresso, and salt together and pour over *staled bread cubes. Toss well so the bread absorbs most of the liquid and begins to lose it's shape.
4. Fold the melted chocolate into the bread mixture, then transfer to the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the center springs back when gently pressed. Cool on a rack for 15 min., remove the sides of the pan and slice.
5. Serve with topping:.
6. Melt the chocolate with the cream and sugar in a saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly, about 8 minute.
7. Combine amaretto and cornstarch to make a slurry, then stir it into the chocolate mixture. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil for 1 minute, or until thickened slightly. Transfer to a bowl; cool to room temperature.
8. To serve, spoon sauce over wedges of warm bread pudding and garnish with raspberries.
9. *To stale your bread, lay the slices out on cookie sheets, turning every half hour until they begin to feel dry. Then cut them into 1" cubes,.
10. It is a very rich recipe, and I don't know how many servings you will get out of yours.