I love bread pudding, all kinds of bread pudding. Whether fruity or chocolatey served warm or straight out of the fridge, plain or with custard. I'm here for it. And this recipe for Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding does not disappoint!
This Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding recipe is made from toasted enriched bread that is covered in sweet egg custard and topped with lots of chocolate chips and baked until golden. It is absolutely delicious and the ultimate chocolatey baked dessert.
If you love baked desserts then have a look at this recipe for South African Malva Pudding or this recipe for Apricot Bread Pudding.
Ingredients
To make this easy bread and butter pudding you will need the simple ingredients listed below, remember always to use fresh room temperature ingredients when baking.
- Loaf of bread
- Whole eggs
- Granulated white sugar
- Whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- Heavy cream
- Chocolate chips
- Powdered sugar
- Unsalted butter
Brioche bread - for this recipe, I used an enriched bread that was a few days old. Enriched bread contains eggs and (sometimes) butter which makes them great to use in bread puddings for their taste, while stale bread helps soak up with custard. My favorite bread to use in this recipe is challah bread or brioche bread.
Extra-large eggs - out of their shell, the eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren't sure if you have the same eggs - weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
Heavy cream - Heavy cream refers to creams that have a fat content higher than 36%, in South Africa, these creams are often called whipping cream. Don't make the mistake of confusing this with double thick cream, it isn't the same!
Chocolate chips - I made this bread pudding recipe just after Easter and used up a whole lot of extra Easter eggs! Do the same, or choose quality dark or milk chocolate chips, I like using a combination of both. You could also use a combination of dark chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
To make this decadent dessert recipe, follow the simple instructions below. First, you will be preparing the bread, then making the custard, then assembling and baking the pudding.
STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and generously butter an oven-proof casserole dish.
STEP 2: Prepare the bread. Start by slicing the bread into slices of an even thickness. Toast the bread lightly in either the oven or a toaster. Set aside three of the slices and slice these further into cubes of about 3cm. Reserve the bread cubes for the top of the bread pudding.
STEP 3: Make the custard. In a large bowl add the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and the seeds from the vanilla pod. Whisk until well combined.
STEP 4: Layer the pudding. Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of toasted bread, and sprinkle a layer of chocolate chips on top of this. Continue in the same way with the next two layers and for the last layer add the cubed bread and the rest of the chocolate chips.
STEP 5: Pour over the custard mixture. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the top of the bread pudding. Allow the bread to soak up the mixture for about 5 minutes. Cover the pudding with aluminum foil and poke a few holes into the foil.
STEP 6: Create a water bath. Carefully place the dish containing the pudding into a slightly larger over-proof dish and fill this dish with water. Creating a water bath for the pudding.
STEP 7: Bake. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean.
STEP 8: Serve. Allow the dessert to set for about an hour after it has finished baking, then dust it with icing sugar and serve it warm with cream, vanilla ice cream, or custard.
Variations
You can get creative with what you choose to add to this warm bread pudding. Raisins, orange peel, and other dried fruit would work well with this chocolate variation. Or you could choose to add fresh fruits like raspberries or even blueberries!
With regards to the type of bread needed for this recipe, you can also choose to use stale croissants, stale white bread, or an appropriate type of French bread instead. All options will make an equally delicious dessert!
Equipment
To make this easy bread pudding, you won't need a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer but you will need suitable baking dishes. It is best to bake this bread pudding in a water bath so choose oven dishes of different sizes that fit into each other. Or choose an oven dish that fits into a larger roasting pan.
The oven dish I used was 19cmx30cmx7cm (8x12x3 inches).
This recipe can also be baked as mini bread puddings in individual ramekins that have been placed into a large dish acting as a water bath. If you choose to bake individual portions, be sure to adjust the baking time.
Storage
It's hard to resist eating this pudding straight from the oven but allow it to sit for about an hour before serving it warm.
Store any leftover bread pudding in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing leftover bread pudding especially if you have added custard or cream to the top of the pudding.
Top tips
Follow these top tips to ensure you are baking the perfect bread pudding!
- Always test the true temperature of your oven with an oven thermometer before baking.
- Be careful not to spill any of the water bath liquid into the bread pudding while transporting it from the oven.
- Don't burn the brioche when toasting it otherwise the pudding will taste burnt, lightly toasted bread is perfect.
- Cooking this pudding in a water bath ensures the custard cooks slowly and has the perfect texture.
FAQ
The eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren't sure if you have the same eggs - weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
This happens when the oven temperature isn't set right, custards are heat sensitive so make sure your oven is set properly.
Yes! You can choose a round or oval oven dish, just make sure that it is big enough as the pudding will rise when baking and then fall after coming out of the oven.
This chocolate bread pudding is a winner, for chocolate lovers and warm pudding lovers alike! If you give this recipe a try for one of your special occasions please leave a star review and comment below - I love hearing from all my fellow bakers!
Don't forget to follow along on social media @with_love_kitty for new recipes!
Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
Equipment
- 1x oven dish 19cmx30cmx7cm (8x12x3 inches)
- 1x larger oven dish/ roasting pan
Ingredients
- 750 g enriched bread
- 4 eggs extra-large
- 4 egg yolks
- 250 ml heavy cream
- 750 ml milk
- 250 g sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla pod
- 150 g chocolate chips
- 50 g icing sugar for dusting
- 20 g unsalted butter for buttering the dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and generously butter an oven-proof casserole dish.
- Start by slicing the bread into slices of an even thickness. Toast the bread lightly in either the oven or a toaster. Set aside 3 of the slices and slice these further into cubes of about 3cm. Reserve the bread cubes for the top of the bread pudding.
- In a large bowl add the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and the seeds from the vanilla pod. Whisk until well combined.
- Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of toasted bread, and sprinkle a layer of chocolate chips on top of this. Continue in the same way with the next two layers and for the last layer add the cubed bread and the rest of the chocolate chips.
- Pour the egg and milk mixture over the top of the bread pudding. Allow the bread to soak up the mixture for about 5 minutes. Cover the pudding with aluminum foil and poke a few holes into the foil.
- Carefully place the dish containing the pudding into a slightly larger over-proof dish and fill this dish with water. Creating a water bath for the pudding.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean.
- Allow the dessert to set for about an hour after it has finished baking, then dust it with icing sugar and serve it warm with cream, vanilla ice cream, or custard.
Claire says
I can’t wait to make this again, it was so good!