Station House's Chocolate Bread Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 baguette, cubed (about 8 cups)
• 1 1/4 lbs chocolate
• 7 eggs
• 1 pint half-and-half
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups bourbon (they used maker's mark)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350ºf.
• 2 spread bread cubes in an 8 1/2 x 11" baking pan.
• 3 melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
• 4 meanwhile, break eggs into a bowl and beat lightly until smooth.
• 5 add beaten eggs to the melted chocolate, then the half and half and heavy cream.
• 6 stir well over the heat until the batter thickens and is smooth and flows easily off the spatula, about 10 minute.
• 7 pour the chocolate mixture evenly over the bread in the pan.
• 8 use about half of the custard at first, letting it soak into the bread before you add the rest, in 2-3 additions, if necessary.
• 9 cover with foil.
• 10 bake for 45 minute.
• 11 to make the bourbon sauce: put the bourbon in a sauce pan.
• 12 bring to a simmer over medium heat and reduce by half. or, if you are braver, carefully flame the bourbon in the pan, letting it burn until the flame burns off. (this will take a few minutes with this much alchohol.).
• 13 add the brown sugar and butter.
• 14 after the butter is melted, add the condensed milk.
• 15 cook on low, stirring, until thickened to pouring consistency, 5 min or a bit longer.
• 16 to serve: cut into squares and place on serving plates.
• 17 sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.
• 18 pass the bourbon sauce to pour over the top.
• 19 best served hot.