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Chocolate Bread Pudding with Pomegranate-Orange Butter

Marcus Hollinsworth
For me, nothing screams fall like bread pudding. It sticks to your ribs, stimulates your senses and contents your tummy. This recipe is a classic, but is a little less sweet than what you might get in a diner.
If you want to skip the Pomegranate-Orange Butter, top the pudding with whipped cream, powdered sugar or cocoa powder.
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Course Dessert

Ingredients
  

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon hot chocolate mix (or ½ tablespoon cocoa powder and ½ tablespoon sugar)
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds
  • Pinch salt
  • 4 cups rustic style French bread, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • ¼ cup turbinado sugar

POMEGRANATE-ORANGE BUTTER

  • ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
  • Zest of ¼ orange
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • Pinch clove
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions
 

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

  • Serves 4 to 8, depending on portion size
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, except bread cubes and turbinado sugar. Mix well.
  • Add bread cubes and toss well. Use a large spoon to press bread down until it absorbs liquid and stays submerged. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside for 30 minutes.
  • In the meantime, preheat oven to 350°. Also, grease an 8- by 4-inch baking pan with butter. Place turbinado sugar in prepared pan and tilt it around so sugar coats sides and bottom. Pour out excess sugar.
  • Place bread pudding mixture in pan and press down a bit to make it level on top. Cover with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes, until a wooden skewer poked in the center comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven, uncover and let cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting. While bread pudding is cooling, make Pomegranate-Orange Butter.
  • To serve, cut warm bread pudding into slices and top with 1 to 2 tablespoons Pomegranate-Orange Butter.

FOR THE POMEGRANATE-ORANGE BUTTER

  • Makes about ½ cup
  • Soften butter inside a ceramic bowl, and when it’s soft enough, blend in all other ingredients using a whisk. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Allergy note: This recipe converts very well using gluten-free bread and alternative milks, without other alterations. Pecans can be substituted with any other nut or removed altogether if needed.