Chocolate Ganache Bread Pudding Food

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum if desired.
• Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over a cake. Start at the center of the cake and work outward. For a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.

CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in bread, bananas, and chocolate chips, and let rest 5 minutes for bread to soak. Pour into prepared pan.
• Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place loaf pan on towel inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with water to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat two 9 by 2-inch cake pans with butter and coat each with 1 Tablespoon sugar.
• -------------For the cake--------------.
• In a large mixing bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with whisk attachment, combine eggs and 1 cup of sugar.
• Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and has tripled in volume, about 8 minutes.
• In a separate mixing bowl sift together the cocoa, flour, and baking powder.
• Fold cocoa mixture into the egg mixture to combine completely, until mixture is smooth.
• Divide cake batter evenly into two cake pans.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched.
• Cool cakes for 15 minutes.
• Loosen cakes from pans and unmold onto wire rack.
• Cool to room temperature.
• -------------For the pudding-------------------.
• Combine 1/2 cup of the cream with the cornstarch in a small bowl and stir to make a paste.
• Combine the paste with remaining 3 1/2 cups cream, sugar, chocolate chips, and vanilla in a large nonstick saucepan.
• Using a wire whisk, stir the mixture until it is well blended.
• Over low heat, whisk cream mixture until chocolate melts thoroughly.
• Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until it becomes very thick, about 25 minutes.
• Pour pudding into a large bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap, covering surface of pudding with the plastic to prevent a skin from forming.
• Let cool to room temperature.
• ----------------To assemble the cake----------------.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack over it.
• Using a serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally.
• Brush the tops of three layers each with 1/4 cup of the Grand Marnier.
• Place the bottom layer on a 9-inch round of cardboard and set it on the wire rack.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups of the pudding evenly on top of the layer.
• Top with a second layer of cake.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups of pudding evenly over it.
• Repeat for the third layer.
• Top with the fourth layer.
• Chill in the refridgerator for 2 hours.
• ----------------For the ganache-------------.
• In a medium-sized nonstick saucepan over medium heat, heat cream just under boiling point.
• Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate.
• With a whisk, stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
• Pour ganache over the top of chilled cake, allowing overflow to drip down the sides.
• Cool slightly.
• Carefully remove the cake from the wire rack.
• Chill for at least 6 hours.
• -----------For the garnish-------------.
• In a medium-sized saucepan, add 3-inches of water.
• Boil water and reduce to a simmer.
• Place semisweet chips in a stainless steel bowl and place bowl over simmering water.
• Stir chocolate until melted to a smooth consistency.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread melted chocolate evenly across sheet.
• Chill in refrigerator until set, about 1 hour.
• Break the chocolate into large shard-like pieces.
• Place chocolate shards on top of the cake vertically at various angles.
• Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• 1. Place bread on 2 baking sheets, and bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes. Transfer bread to a large bowl, and set aside. Butter a 13" x 9" baking dish with 1 Tbsp butter. This is the Challah bread that I used.
• 2. Bring half and half and remaining 2 Tbsp butter to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, add 1 cup chocolate morsels, stirring until melted. Whish in cocoa and next 4 ingredients.
• 3. Pour over bread, tossing to coat; transfer to baking dish. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
• 4. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate morsel and pecans. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hours or until set. Let stand 10 minutes.
• 5. (I then transfered by spoonful into my ramekin dishes.)
• 6. You can also bake bread pudding in 8 (8-ounce) ramekins or 12 (6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups. Prepare as directed above, and after chilling 8 hours, spoon pudding evenly into ramekins. Sprinkle with morsels and pecans. Bake, uncoverd, at 350 for 35 minutes (for 6 ounce) to 40 minutes (for 8 ounce).