Chocolate Bread Pudding with White Chocolate Sauce

This past summer in Vienna, I was introduced to the dessert, Mohr im Hemd, which translates as "A Moor in his Nightshirt." It's a chocolate steamed pudding served with whipped cream. It's one of those amazing desserts that you try your hardest to eat slowly to make the supreme yumminess last longer but end up devouring in seconds because you can't help yourself and lose control.

Just as Katie went on a quest to find the perfect Sachertorte recipe, Mary Ann has sought to master the art of creating a Mohr im Hemd worthy of the finest Viennese café. And luckily, we have been most fortunate to have been invited over now twice to sample her work. All I can say is that Mary Ann's Mohr im Hemd deserves a place of honor in the dessert case at my favorite Viennese café, Café Central. Yes, it's that good. And luckily for all of us, she has shared her recipe here.

This chocolate bread pudding recipe reminds me a little of Mohr im Hemd, sort of an American version.  I love all kinds of bread pudding, but making it chocolate does take it to a higher level. And, the white chocolate sauce is a classy final touch. Best of all, this recipe is so incredibly easy to make.

So, if you're not heading to Vienna anytime soon and you don't quite have enough time to whip up a Mohr im Hemd, try this out. There will be ooohs and aaaahs a plenty!

I borrowed a camera. It's amazing what a nice camera can do.
You can tell that each bread cube is packed with chocolate.

I'm salivating just looking at this picture.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups whipping cream
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• ½ cup milk
  
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  
• 8 cups old French bread, cut in 1-in. cubes
  

Preheat oven 325˚. Bring cream, 1 cup sugar, and milk to a simmer in a heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves; remove from heat. Add 2 cups chocolate chips and whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk eggs and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Cool custard for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add bread cubes to custard and toss to coat. Transfer to a 9 x 13-in. greased dish. Bake until custard thickens and center is just set, about 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with White Chocolate Sauce. Makes 12 to 15 servings.

White Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
  

Heat cream just until bubbles form around edge of pan, but not to boiling. Remove from heat and then whisk in white chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth.