Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding Recipe

I never used to be a fan of bread pudding until I tried this Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding. Mainly, I blamed raisins.

Most bread puddings that you find in restaurants are baked with raisins, and while I love them fresh, I don’t prefer them baked into anything (I’m weird like that, just like I am with bananas).

In perusing one of my many cookbooks a couple of Christmases ago, I found a bread pudding recipe that didn’t have raisins, and instead? Chocolate. Oh, my word. This is it. This is THE one. If you invite us for dinner, provided you’re not gluten-free I’m bringin’ this Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding every. single. time.

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding ingredients:

• 1 Loaf French or Italian bread, torn into pieces in a large bowl
• 3 cups milk plus 1 cup half & half
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbs melted butter or margarine
• 1 Tbs vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips (I use Bittersweet chocolate, because the White Chocolate Brandy Sauce gives enough sweetness!)

White Chocolate Brandy Sauce ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup half & half
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chips (I used Nestle)
• 3 Tbs brandy (If you don’t care to have a full-size bottle on hand, stop in a liquor store and pick up an airport bottle-sized one).

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

After tearing bread into pieces in a large bowl, add milk and half & half and let it stand for about 10 minutes. You might think you’ve done something wrong – because there will still be a lot of liquid not yet absorbed, but it’s all good, really!

While that’s sitting & soaking, mix the eggs, sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt until well blended. After your 10 minutes is up, gently fold this into the bread mixture, making sure it’s well mixed. Fold in bittersweet chocolate chips (not the white ones yet!).

Pour into a lightly greased 9″ x 13″ casserole and bake at 325° for an hour, until lightly browned and not jiggling in the middle.

White Chocolate Brandy Sauce

Combine sugar, stick of butter and half & half in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer another 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add in your white chocolate chips and stir gently until they melt. Add in brandy.

Drizzle a generous spoonful of White Chocolate Brandy Sauce over an equally generous portion of Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding, and serve alongside a piping hot mug of Nutty Mocha for the most delicious holiday dessert!

Are you following my Baking & Desserts board on Pinterest? You may also enjoy:

• 20 Christmas Treats for Kids
• Brown Sugar Shortbread
• Pumpkin Spice Cake Trifle