Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 1-inch slices firm white bread (about 10 ounces) (crusts left on)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 ounces semisweet and/or milk chocolate, chopped (1 cup)
• Ganache

Directions

1. Butter a 2-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Generously spread one side of each slice of bread with the 3/4 cup butter. Cut the slices in half diagonally and arrange the bread in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, overlapping the slices. Sprinkle the chocolate over the bread, tucking some between the bread slices. Pour the custard over the bread; cover with foil and let it soak in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the baking dish in a large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until the pudding is set and the top is golden (there will be a layer of melted butter over the pudding). Carefully remove the baking dish from the water bath and let cool slightly on a wire rack (the butter will soak back into the bread as it cools). Serve pudding warm with Ganache spooned over the top.

GANACHE: In a medium saucepan bring 1 cup whipping cream just to boiling over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool for 15 minutes.