Dark Chocolate Orange Bread Pudding
 
Makes 8 to 10 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 medium cinnamon stick
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds
  • 8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped and divided
  • 3 egg yolks
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¾ pound day-old brioche, cut into ¾-inch cubes
  • Candied Orange Peel (recipe follows), finely chopped
  • Orange Rum Hard Sauce (recipe follows)
Candied Orange Peel
  • 1 large navel orange
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • Sanding sugar, for rolling
Orange Rum Hard Sauce
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 teaspoons dark rum
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, bring cream, milk, cinnamon stick, and cardamom seeds to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 30 minutes.
  2. In a large heatproof bowl, place 6 ounces chocolate.
  3. Return cream mixture to a gentle boil; strain through a fine-mesh sieve over chocolate in bowl, discarding solids. Let stand for 1 minute; whisk until chocolate is fully melted and incorporated and mixture is smooth.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, salt, and ground cardamom until combined. Add chocolate mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking until combined.
  5. Lightly spray a 2-quart oval baking dish with cooking spray. In prepared pan, arrange bread in an even layer. Pour custard over bread; cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate up to overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°.
  7. Top bread pudding with remaining 2 ounces chocolate. (If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.)
  8. Bake until just set, 35 to 40 minutes. Top with Candied Orange Peel, and serve with Orange Rum Hard Sauce. Best served warm.
Candied Orange Peel
  1. Using a sharp knife, slice orange into ¼-inch round slices.
  2. In a medium saucepan, bring granulated sugar and 1 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add orange slices; simmer, stirring occasionally, until peels are tender and white piths are somewhat translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Using tongs, transfer orange slices to a wire rack placed over a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet, and let cool enough to handle.
  4. Pull fruit away from candied peel, and discard.
  5. In a large bowl, place sanding sugar. Toss peels in sugar to coat. Return to wire rack, and let stand overnight. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Orange Rum Hard Sauce
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat confectioners’ sugar and butter at medium-high speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add rum, vanilla, and orange zest, and beat until smooth and combined. Use immediately.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/dark-chocolate-orange-bread-pudding/