Caramel Bread Pudding

This dish is so good that I had to hold my self back from eating the entire dish.  A new Sunday morning favorite has just arrived.  I inevitably always have left over Challah.  We start our weekend, each Friday night by celebrating Shabbat dinner, thus having Challah.  Eli usually gets egg in the hole on Saturday mornings, Isaac and Levi like it toasted with a little cinnamon butter smeared on top and sometimes I make croutons or bread crumbs with the left overs.  

Last night, I was watching an episode of Nigella Lawson.  She was making a caramel croissant bread pudding.  Bingo.  I was inspired to use up our challah and make something similar for breakfast.  I changed it a bit yet I am sure the results are just as good as the original!  

Caramel-Challah Bread Pudding

adapted from nigella lawson (original recipe here )

yield: 4-6 servings

ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tbls. water

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 milk

2 eggs

1 tps. vanilla

pinch of fleur de sel

handful of chocolate chips ( I used bittersweet)

handful of slivered almonds - toasted

stale bread - enough to cover an 8 x 8 porcelain baking dish

instructions:

• preheat oven to 350*.  butter an 8 x 8 porcelain baking dish

• put water and sugar in a heavy duty pan.  swirl a bit to combine.  place over medium high heat and caramelize the sugar.  the mixture will start to bubble.  don't walk away, this process happens very fast.  you want the mixture to turn a light amber color.

• take the pan off the heat and slowly pour in the cream, little by little, whisking as you pour.  once combined add the milk.  let the mixture cool a bit.

• while the mixture is cooling, butter your baking dish.  cut up your challah and scatter in pan.  add chocolate chips.  set aside

• add milk to cooled caramel.  add eggs and whisk quickly.  add a pinch of fleur de sel.  pour over bread and submerge the custard to cover all the bread.  let sit for 10 minutes so the custard soaks into the bread.

• sprinkle the top with almonds and dust with a little sugar.

• bake for 20 minutes or until the custard sets.

• serve, dusted with powdered sugar!

So good!