Recipe for "choc-pudding-2"

NAME

     CHOC-PUDDING-2 - chocolate bread pudding with cinnamon
     This recipe originally came from Chocolate, Chocolate,  Cho-
     colate by Barbara Myers. I have modified it somewhat.

INGREDIENTS (4-6 servings)

     180 g     semisweet or white chocolate, melted
     100 g     granulated sugar
     1 ml      salt
     5 ml      ground cinnamon
     4 dl      milk
     2         eggs, lightly beaten
     200 g     bread cubes (small, firm, and fresh)

PROCEDURE

          (1)  Butter four 1-cup ramekins or six custard cups and
               place them on a cookie sheet.  Preheat oven to 200
               deg. C.
          (2)  Combine the melted  chocolate,  sugar,  salt,  and
               cinnamon.
          (3)  Stir the milk in slowly and  then  add  the  eggs.
               Beat  the  entire  mixture with a whisk until well
               blended.
          (4)  Stir in the bread cubes and let them  soak  for  a
               few minutes.  Beat the pudding with a whisk again.
               The bread cubes should fall apart somewhat.
          (5)  Divide the pudding between the ramekins or custard
               cups  and put them, cookie sheet and all, into the
               oven.
          (6)  Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges  look  done
               (spongey,  like  a  cake)  and  the middle is just
               under done.
          (7)  Cool for 15 minutes and serve or cool  completely,
               wrap,  and  store  in the refrigerator.  They will
               keep for 3 to 4 days, at least,  if  refrigerated.
               The  puddings can be warmed in a microwave oven at
               medium power.

NOTES

     The original recipe has half as much cinnamon and  eggs.   I
     added the extra egg to make the pudding slightly custardy.
     If you can get them, Guittard's Vanilla Milk Chips do  quite
     well in this recipe in place of the chocolate.
     If you use a crusty bread, trim  crusts  from  bread  before
     using.   I  usually  use Pepperidge Farm's white bread and I
     don't trim.  I think the average American white bread is not
     firm  enough.   I  have used a purchased whole wheat granola
     bread with quite good results.  I think  this  recipe  could
     easily  be  altered  to include nuts, chopped dates, chopped
     dried apples, and/or raisins.
     For a richer pudding, try using  leftover  cake  instead  of
     bread.   Once  I  even  baked  a  small  cake from a mix and
     chopped that up for this recipe.  One layer makes  a  double
     batch.  (It was a Dutch chocolate cake, how decadent!)

RATING

     Difficulty: easy.   Time:  10  minutes  preparation  and  15
     minutes cooking.  Precision: measure the ingredients.

CONTRIBUTOR

     Suzanne Padgett
     Hadron, Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, USA
     seismo!hadron!suz