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Big Black Dog: TWD -- Four Star Chocolate Bread Pudding

April 20, 2009

TWD -- Four Star Chocolate Bread Pudding



I was happy to see Chocolate Bread Pudding on the menu for Tuesdays with Dorie this week. We love Bread Pudding and I've posted other bread pudding recipes on my blog. One bread pudding recipe is a vintage recipe from the "The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book" by Fanny Merritt Farmer, published in 1896. It is so interesting reading the old cookbooks.

Bread Pudding is a very easy, no frills recipe to make. I used Wawel Dark Czekolada gorzka 90% cocoa which made the recipe extra rich and dark and luscious.

Dorie's recipe called for brioche, challah or white bread and I decided to make Challah. I love making Challah and braiding the dough. But my Jewish husband, Mr. Tastebuds, does not like Challah!!! Sometimes Mr. Tastebuds is no fun at all! I also topped the bread pudding with a Vanilla Custard a recipe from my Mom.


Here's my Challah and it turned out beautifully!


challah1




And look at my gorgeous crumb!!! I'm so proud of my crumb!



challah2




No-Knead Challah
Recipe adapted from "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day"

1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (or neutral-tasting vegetable oil such as canola), plus more for greasing the cookie sheet
7 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water)
Poppy or sesame seeds for the top

1. Mix the yeast and water, salt, eggs, honey, and melted butter or oil in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (no airtight) plastic food container.

2. Stir in the flour without kneading, using a spoon or spatula.

3. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2-3 hours. I let it rise most the day and then put in the frig over night so it's completely cold. It's easier to work with if it's cold.

4. Use over the next 5 days. Beyond 5 days, freeze in 1-pound portions in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. Defrost frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using. Then allow the usual rest and rise time.

5. On baking day line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a silicone mat. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour or corn meal and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece. (I use surgical gloves if the dough is very wet and it usually is.) Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

6. Divide the ball into thirds, using a dough scraper or knife. Roll the balls between your hands (or on a board), stretching, to form each into a long, thin rope. If the dough resists shaping, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again. Braid the ropes, starting from the center and working to one end. Turn the loaf over, rotate it, and braid from the center out to the remaining end. This produces a loaf with a more uniform thickness than when braided from end to end.

7. Allow the bread to rest and rise on the prepared cookie sheet for 1-2 hours.

8. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F.

9. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with the seeds.

10. Bake near the center of the oven for about 25 minutes. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time. The challah is done when golden brown, and the braids near the center of the loaf offer resistance to pressure. Due to the fat in the dough, challah will not form a hard, crackling crust.

11. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.



BrdPud1




Custard Sauce
Recipe adapted from my Mom

2 c. milk or cream
3 TBL flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Mix flour, sugar and beaten egg until well blended. Heat milk to a simmer. When the milk is hot, slowly pour the milk into the egg/flour/sugar mixture stirring constantly until smooth.

Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over low heat until thickened. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Custard should be pouring consistency, it not just add a little bit more milk or cream.







Lauren of Upper East Side Chronicle is our host this week and please visit her blog if you like a copy of the recipe.



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26 Comments:

Blogger Amanda said...

Wow fabulous! And that challah is gorgeous! I am a fan on vanilla custard bread pudding, but I really liked this one too. It was even better drizzled with chocolate sauce or cream anglaise!

April 21, 2009 at 6:23 AM  
Blogger RecipeGirl said...

Everything sounds just perfect. And that challah... wow!!!

April 21, 2009 at 8:30 AM  
Anonymous Teanna said...

I am SO impressed that you made your own challah for this recipe! It looks AMAZING with the custard!!!

April 21, 2009 at 8:44 AM  
Anonymous Sara said...

Yum! I love that you used such dark chocolate, I wish I had done that. Your challah looks great, I would like to make a loaf one of these days.

April 21, 2009 at 8:58 AM  
Blogger chocolatechic said...

ooooOOOooooo your sauce looks fantastic.

April 21, 2009 at 9:43 AM  
Anonymous dorie said...

you should be proud of your challah -- it's gorgeous! love the look of the pudding cut in cubes and topped with sauce.

April 21, 2009 at 9:45 AM  
Blogger Peggy said...

I'm amazed at your photos. Great job. And I can't believe that bread you made - fabulous!!

April 21, 2009 at 9:51 AM  
Blogger Nancy/n.o.e said...

I love this post! Thanks for all of the bonus recipes; I'm bookmarking all of them. The challah nearly steals the show!! What a cool idea to use the DARK chocolate which probably paired fantastically with the cream. Did Mr. Tastebuds like the pudding (even if challah isn't his thing?)

Oh, and as for the square bowl, I bought it and an equally wonderful little square plate at Cost Plus World Market - solely for blog photos. At least they were cheap!
Nancy

April 21, 2009 at 10:02 AM  
Blogger PheMom said...

I am going to have to try that challah recipe. It looks awesome! I am glad you loved the bread pudding too!

April 21, 2009 at 10:03 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your challah looks gorgeous. Those no-knead bread recipes are terrific, aren't they?

April 21, 2009 at 10:04 AM  
Blogger Cathy said...

OMG!!!! Your challah is a vision of beauty! I have the ABin5 book but really haven't spent much time with it yet. If it will result in breads like THAT for me, it is going to become my new best friend! Your bread pudding looks gorgeous - it had to be extra decadent with that wonderful dark chocolate!

April 21, 2009 at 10:05 AM  
Blogger Steph said...

Your challah is gorgeous! I need to make some soon.

April 21, 2009 at 10:09 AM  
Anonymous Kayte said...

Oh, that Challah is so beautiful...the crumb is gorgeous, no wonder you are so proud of it! I love the way you served the dessert...looks like so much fun to eat it that way. Great job...and funny about Mr. T not liking Challah and being Jewish...Mark vowed he would never eat tuna or fishsticks again growing up Catholic in the 50's with a mom who didn't really put any extra cooking effort into Lent!

April 21, 2009 at 10:14 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your challah and the finished pudding both look great!

April 21, 2009 at 10:23 AM  
Blogger spike. said...

your challah looks amazing! I'm printing that recipe out right now

April 21, 2009 at 11:02 AM  
Blogger Amy of Sing For Your Supper said...

That is gorgeous with the cream on top...and your challah is just beautiful! You've obviously worked hard this week- well done!!


-Amy
www.singforyoursupperblog.com

April 21, 2009 at 11:22 AM  
Blogger glamah16 said...

The Jewish husband doesnt like Challah! Oy. Anyway men can be such poopers when it comes to food. My German is so picky I want to scream. The pudding looks really good. You ae tempting me to make Challah this weekend.

April 21, 2009 at 11:38 AM  
Anonymous Megan said...

That's the recipe I used for my brioche - isn't it just amazing? My Jewish husband would love for me to make a challah - but I need help with the braid.

Next time I am going to try that custard sauce - it reminds me of one my mom used to make!

April 21, 2009 at 11:41 AM  
Blogger NKP said...

I love your version of it, very creative. And yes, that is excellent crumb!

April 21, 2009 at 4:56 PM  
Anonymous karen said...

your challah is fantastic - beautiful! you should be proud. the custard sounds good for this, i wish i would've made something like that.

April 21, 2009 at 7:48 PM  
Anonymous Chris said...

Wow! Your challah looks amazing! I have GOT to get on the no-knead bandwagon!
Fantastic job!!

April 21, 2009 at 9:23 PM  
Blogger Elyse said...

Awww, your challah looks incredible! If you ever need a Jew to come enjoy your challah, let me know :) And to make things even yummier, you used this challah in a fantastic looking chocolate bread pudding. Bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts. Hands down. And with that custard sauce of yours, well, I'm pretty sure that's heaven!

April 21, 2009 at 9:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your challah is beautiful. I don't see how it is possible NOT to like challah. The custard sauce sounds amazing too. YUM.

April 21, 2009 at 11:39 PM  
Blogger Piggy said...

wow, you made your own challah!! it sure looks good, thanks for the recipe, I'm gonna try it out soon!

April 22, 2009 at 12:38 PM  
Blogger TeaLady said...

I think making your own Challah would definitely be the way to go with this. It looks delicious.

April 22, 2009 at 4:42 PM  
Blogger Carol Peterman/TableFare said...

Wow! That is challah to be proud of! How beautiful. I bet your bread pudding was delicious with that bread and that fantastic sounding chocolate.

April 22, 2009 at 6:52 PM  

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