Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Vanilla Cream Sauce

You're not on a diet are you? You aren't still on the post-holiday healthy eating bandwagon?

Wait a second. You are?

Well, good for you. Keep it up. And my apologies, in advance, for what I am about to post.

It's not that I'm against healthy eating. In fact, I'm very much a proponent of it. It's just I'm also a big proponent of things like this.

Chocolate chip breading pudding.


And, yes, the verdict is in: It's as good as it looks.


I made it on Thursday only because I wanted to use up some bread that was getting old. Well, and because Conservative Hubby and I must. have. sweets. Every day, even if only a nibble.

Keep in mind that this isn't the world-famous, secret-recipe bread pudding M.B. makes. This one is from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. But it's good, very good. I'd make it again, that's for certain.

All you do is dry 4 cups of bread cubes. The recipe calls for French or regular bread cubes (basically 6 or 7 slices of bread cut up). I used leftover homemade wheat bread instead. Either way, you just place the bread cubes in a large, shallow baking pan and bake them for about 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

Presto, dry bread cubes.

While the bread cubes cool, beat together 4 eggs, 2 1/4 cups chocolate milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Then toss the bread cubes in a 2-quart square baking dish with 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Add more chocolate chips because that doesn't look like enough.


Now it's time to pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread mixture. Press the mixture down lightly with the back of a large spoon.


And that's it. Now you simply bake it uncovered in a 350-degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until it's puffed and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

But wait a second. I almost forgot. There's one more step.

Just before the bread pudding is done, it's time to make a vanilla cream sauce (because, naturally, it isn't decadent enough already). I scrounged around and found a quick and easy sauce recipe from Southern Living.

Stir 2 cups whipping cream, 1 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flower together in a sauce pan.


Add 1/2 cup butter and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is beginning to boil. Then cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until the mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.


Once you remove the bread pudding from the oven, cool it slightly. Serve it with the warm cream sauce.


(And don't worry about no stinkin' diets, at least not today. You only live once.)