Chocolate-Raspberry Bread Pudding

by Jenny Rogers Spinola

OK, I've never been a fan of bread pudding, but this was really good. And when I discovered I could use ALL THE LEFTOVER BREAD we had in the freezer or fridge, including stale hot dog buns, hamburger buns, and whole-wheat slices, and they came out beautifully delicious, I was hooked.

I made this particular recipe on Valentine's Day--which also happens to be our wedding anniversary. Sigh... :)

And it was fabulous. We scraped the baking dish clean. And of course, Ethan loved helping with every step. So here's how to make it:

CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY BREAD PUDDING

4 cups cubed bread (stale is actually best, and anything you find in your fridge works - hotdog or hamburger buns or slices). Just check for mold first!!!
2 eggs
1/2 cups sugar
2 cups milk
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 c chocolate chips* (We used a bar of dark chocolate cut up into tiny squares, since we don't have chocolate chips in Brazil)
several teaspoons raspberry jam




First, make the creamy pudding sauce.

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together milk and eggs, then add sugar, vanilla, and salt.


Now tear the bread into bite-sized pieces in a large bowl.


When all the bread is torn, pour over the milk mixture and gently turn with a spoon until bread is completely and evenly penetrated with the milk.

Add chocolate chips, or if using bar chocolate, cut the bar into tiny squares and add to the bowl. Turn several times with the spoon to mix, reserving a few extra chocolate chips for the top.

Turn everything into a buttered baking dish and sprinkle with a few extra chocolate chips. Spoon on the raspberry jam in small clumps, turning the bread pudding mixture over slightly with a spoon to let some raspberry jam under the top.


Bake one hour or until the custard has set.



This is good served warm, and it reheats well on low power in the microwave.



Jennifer Rogers Spinola lives in Brasilia, Brazil with her Brazilian husband, Athos, and two-year-old son, Ethan. She teaches ESL private classes and is the author of the "Southern Fried Sushi" series with Barbour Books (first book released in October!) Jenny is an advocate for adoption and loves the outdoors, and has previously served as a missionary to Japan.