Bread, Chocolate and Pudding are three things we all love, so it only makes sense to combine them in one dessert! This Easy Chocolate Bread Pudding is warm, comforting, and indulgent, served with a delicious chocolate creme anglaise. And even better, it takes only 10 ingredients and 15 minutes of active work, making it perfect for when you need a quick dessert or sweet brunch.
If you prefer a vanilla version, check out my recipe for the Best Easy Vanilla Bread Pudding instead!
Read the full blog post below for detailed notes, tips, tricks, photos and videos.
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What Is Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding is a classic comfort dessert made with old bread and custard, baked to golden perfection. It is very versatile and customizable - you can enjoy it plain with vanilla, enrich with spices and raisins, or make other versions with chocolate, or fruits. It can be eaten on its own, or served with a vanilla sauce (creme anglaise), ice cream, cream, caramel sauce, etc.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
3 reasons you should try this recipe:
- It is SO easy to make. All you need is 10 simple ingredients and 15 minutes of work (maybe even less) for a full batch. This makes it great for when you are making dessert in a time crunch, or want to add something sweet to your brunch menu
- It is something different. Everyone loves bread and chocolate, but rarely are the two of them put together. This is a unique dessert which will get everyone excited and be wiped off quickly!
- It is comforting and delicious. Served and eaten warm, it feels like french toast meets chocolate cake, and makes you feel incredibly cozy!
Tips To Perfect This Recipe
This is a really simple recipe, but here are a few tips to help you perfect it:
- Use stale or day old bread. You can also leave the bread out for a few hours to dry out slightly. This helps ensure the bread pudding doesn't turn out too soft or mushy after being baked
- Use good quality chocolate. The chocolate custard mainly relies on the chocolate for its flavor, so the better the chocolate tastes, the better it will turn out. I used a mixture of Lindt milk and dark chocolate bars
- Don't overcook the custard. You need to cook it only until the chocolate and butter have melted, as it will continue to cook in the oven. The remaining custard is cooked down a little more to turn into a chocolate creme anglaise, but only until it just starts to thicken up
- Strain the custard. If you see any lumps, don't worry and just strain the custard
- Embrace the rustic look. Bread pudding is supposed to be homely and rustic, not perfect! So make it quick and don't fret the details. It will look and taste good!
Video Tutorial
Here is a short video tutorial for this recipe that I recommend watching:
Process With Photos
The detailed recipe is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but let's go over the steps with photos to help you visualize everything.
Cut the day old or slightly dried out bread into large cubes (~1.5 to 2" each); you can leave the crust on! Toss into the buttered baking dish:
To make the chocolate custard, add all ingredients to a pan, and cook and stir on low heat just until everything is melted:
Cover the bread with some chocolate chips and then soak in the chocolate custard. Bake until set:
Cook the remaining chocolate custard a little longer so it becomes a slightly thicker chocolate creme anglaise. Serve the bread pudding hot with the chocolate creme anglaise poured on top:
Frequently Asked Questions
While day-old or slightly stale bread works best, you can also use fresh bread. If using fresh bread, just toast it lightly in the oven until it feels like day old bread to achieve a similar texture.
Absolutely! Experiment with various bread types like brioche, challah, or even croissants for a different flavor and texture. Just keep in mind that denser bread may require a bit more time to absorb the custard, and the type of bread used will impact the texture of the bread pudding.
I like to serve this chocolate bread pudding with the chocolate creme anglaise (custard) which is reserved from the recipe itself. However, if you want to break the chocolate flavor, you serve it with plain whipped cream or even vanilla ice cream instead!
Using just milk chocolate will make this bread pudding too sweet, so I recommend either semi-sweet or dark chocolate depending on your preferences.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and reheat in the microwave. Enjoy within 2-3 days for the best taste and texture.
Yes, you can freeze this chocolate bread pudding! Tightly wrap it to prevent freezer burn. To reheat, thaw it in the fridge and then warm it in the oven at a low temperature to maintain its moisture and deliciousness.
Related Recipes
Easy Chocolate Bread Pudding Recipe
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 8-10 servings
Description
A simple, comforting and decadent chocolate bread pudding made with just 10 ingredients and 15 minutes of work and served with a chocolate creme anglaise
Ingredients
- 1 12-pack King's Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (or 1 12oz loaf of Brioche bread), ideally dried out overnight
- 3 tbsp butter + more for greasing the pan (45g)
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 ½ cups whole milk (600g)
- ½ cup heavy cream (120g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g) ; taste and add more if needed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- 300g semi sweet chocolate (or mix milk and dark)
- 1 tsp instant coffee, optional
- ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate of choice, optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F, and brush butter in a 7x11" baking dish (ceramic or glass recommended)
- Chop the King's Hawaiian Rolls (or the bread you are using) into large cubes (about 1.5-2" each), and arrange inside the baking dish
- To make the custard, combine the remaining ingredients in a nonstick saucepan, and whisk thoroughly to break down the eggs
- Place the saucepan on the stove on medium low heat, and stir and cook until the butter and chocolate have melted and mixed in. Do not cook any longer or wait for the custard to thicken, as it will continue to cook and thicken in the oven
- If using chocolate chips, scatter them on top of the bread in the baking dish. Then pour the custard all over the bread, getting all pieces well-soaked, and save about 1.5 to 2 cups of the sauce for later. Gently press down on the bread to ensure there are no dry parts
- Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for ~30-35 minutes. The bread pudding should feel set, but slightly wobbly when shaken. If in doubt, lean towards under baking vs over baking
- In the meanwhile, return the remaining custard to the stove on low heat. Cook and stir constantly for a few minutes until the sauce just starts to thicken up. Strain the sauce and you have a beautiful chocolate creme anglaise!
- Pour some of the creme anglaise onto the bread pudding when it is done baking. Serve while it is still warm with more creme anglaise on the side
Video Tutorial:
Notes
- If you don't have day-old bread, cut it into cubes and place in the oven at 350F for just 3-5 minutes until it starts to become hard. It should not become golden or toasted!
- Make sure not to overcook the sauce; you just need the butter and chocolate to melt and mix in. Overcooking will give the bread pudding a scrambled egg like consistency
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Np says
i have a lot of leftover croissants, what do you think if i used them instead?
Np says
oh and also would it work with ready made custard or powdered custard if i add chocolate to it? Many thanks!
Zoha says
I have not tested with ready made custard so unfortunately cannot advise on that. You can use croissants for sure, though!
Mina says
Hi Zoha! I was going to make your vanilla bread pudding but made a last minute decision to try this one instead and I am so glad I did! It was really easy and moist and delicious. Everyone loved it. Thank you for the recipe!
Zoha says
Awh, that makes me so happy! Thank you!
Narmeen says
Easy recipe, and the bread was so fluffy!
Zoha says
YAY! Thank you Narmeen 🙂
Rebecca Thomas says
Made this for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. Thank you!
Z says
I tried this recipe and it turned out amazing!! It gives such a warm, fuzzy and cozy feeling, perfect for a winter dessert. Thanks for sharing this beautiful recipe!
Samiyah says
I made this chocolate pudding for a family dinner and everyone absolutely loved it! It turned out simply amazing!!! Your recipes are the best! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes with us!
Zoha says
Thanks so so much, Samiyah!