Double Chocolate Kahlua Bread Pudding

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

6-8 C toasted French bread cubes (they must be VERY dry. I use leftover from making Thanksgiving stuffing.)
5 eggs
1 C heavy cream
1 ¾ C 2% milk
1/8 C Kahlua or other coffee liquor (can omit if you’d like. Add 1 t almond extract instead.)
1 t vanilla extract
1/8 t allspice
1/8 ground cinnamon
½ kosher salt
3/8 C semi-sweet chunks
½ C white chocolate chips

Sauce – this makes enough for 4 servings:

10 squares semi sweet baking chocolate
1/4 C milk
2 t Kahlua or omit
Pinch of kosher salt
Heat chocolate in double boiler until just melted. Whisk with the other ingredients, and then set in fridge for about 10 minutes so it gets a little thicker. Serve over the hot pudding.

Direction:

• Pour the breadcrumbs into an ungreased 11” by 7” glass baking dish, or other baking dish that has the same volume. This small size is imperative to the ratio of egg to bread and very moist pudding. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, milk, Kahlua, cinnamon, allspice, salt. Make sure mixture is very well incorporated. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the bread. Then pour the egg mixture over all. Push everything in so it is all touching the egg mixture. Cover. CHILL overnight or for at least 6 hours.
• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Take your dish out of the fridge and let sit for 30 minutes before baking. Place in oven and cook uncovered for 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with sauce.