Individual Croissant Bread Puddings With Dried Cherries Bittersweet Chocolate And Toasted Pecans Food

INDIVIDUAL CROISSANT BREAD PUDDINGS WITH DRIED CHERRIES, BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE, AND TOASTED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat to the oven to broil.
• Put the cherries in a small bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit for 20 minutes, then drain.
• Spread the pecans out in a pie tin, place on the middle rack of the oven, and carefully watch for 1 to 2 minutes or until the nuts are golden. Cool, then chop.
• Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease two ovenproof bowls (with 4-inch diameters) with canola oil.
• Add the heavy cream to a medium saucepan. Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds from the pod into the liquid, then add the pod. Simmer over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, then remove the vanilla bean pod.
• Combine egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together. Slowly pour in the cream mixture while whisking.
• Tear the croissants into 6 pieces each and place in a medium bowl, then cover with the remaining cream and egg mixture. Allow the croissants to absorb the liquid for about 10 minutes. Add the cherries.
• Transfer the mixture into the prepared bowls and sprinkle the top of each bowl with the chocolate and toasted pecans. Place them in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until set, then serve.

CHOCOLATE CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Cut the croissants into 1-inch cubes. You should have about 3 1/2 cups. Place the cubes in an ovenproof baking dish.
• In a saucepan, heat the half-and-half, cream, and salt over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. When the cream mixture reaches a fast simmer (do not let it boil), turn off the heat. Add the chocolate and whisk until melted.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Whisking constantly, gradually add the hot chocolate-cream mixture. Strain the mixture over the croissant pieces and toss lightly. Let sit while the mixture is absorbed, at least 15 minutes. As it soaks, fold the mixture a few times to ensure even soaking.
• When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a roasting pan that's 2 inches deep and larger than the baking dish with paper towels. Fill the pan with very hot water and place the dish of bread pudding inside. Bake until set, about 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on each serving.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Make the bread pudding: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Toss the croissants with the melted butter on a baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer and bake until toasted, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Arrange about half of the croissants in the prepared baking dish. Top with about two-thirds of the milk chocolate, then add the remaining croissants. Pour the egg mixture over the croissants, pressing gently so the croissants are submerged.
• Cover the baking dish with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, top with the remaining milk chocolate and bake until the bread pudding is puffed, golden brown and set, 15 to 20 more minutes. Let sit 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: Bring the heavy cream, butter, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the bittersweet chocolate and whisk until smooth. Serve the bread pudding with the chocolate sauce.

CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven.
• Set the temperature of the oven at 320ºF
• Tear up the croissants.
• Roughly tear the croissants into pieces, put them in a bowl and add the raisins.
• Make the custard.
• Start with the vanilla bean. Make an incision down the center, scrape the pulp out onto the bean and put it in a saucepan.
• Next add the cream and milk and heat over a medium temperature. When the custard starts to boil, remove the saucepan from the heat.
• Put the eggs and egg yolks in a bowl, add the sugar and begin whisking. Mix in a little hot milk, pour it all back into the saucepan and mix thoroughly.
• Using a sieve, strain the custard over the croissants and raisins. Make sure they are entirely submerged in the custard. Leave the croissants to soak like this for 15 minutes.
• Carefully pour the mixture into a buttered baking tin and spread it out to ensure that the raisins are evenly distributed.
• Place the tin in the center of the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
• To check that the pudding is done, insert a knife into the center. If when removing it is slightly wet then the pudding is ready as the centre should remain moist. Remove it from the oven and leave to cool down.

WHITE-CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING WITH POACHED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Make pudding:
• Butter an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Cut enough bread into 3/4-inch cubes to measure 6 cups. Chop chocolate.
• In a small heavy saucepan bring 1 cup cream just to a boil and add chocolate. Remove pan from heat and let mixture stand, covered, undisturbed. In another small heavy saucepan bring milk and remaining cup cream to a gentle simmer. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together whole eggs, yolks, sugar, and a pinch salt on medium speed 5 minutes. With mixer running, add milk mixture in a slow stream, beating until combined well. Whisk chocolate mixture until smooth and add with vanilla to egg mixture. Beat mixture until combined well.
• Arrange bread cubes in baking dish. Pour cream mixture over bread and with a spoon push bread down into mixture to coat evenly. Chill pudding, covered, 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Put baking dish in a large baking pan and add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up sides of dish. Bake pudding in middle of oven 45 to 50 minutes, or until set and springy to the touch. Transfer pudding to a rack and cool 30 minutes before serving.
• Poach cherries while pudding is baking:
• In a saucepan bring wine, water, and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add cherries and remove pan from heat. Let mixture stand, covered, 1 hour. Drain cherries in a sieve and discard liquid.
• Serve pudding with cherries and whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat 4 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk and 3/4 cup sugar with wire whisk until well blended. Beat in milk, whipping cream and vanilla until well blended. Stir in 7 cups of the croissants pieces. Let stand 20 minutes. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Lightly press remaining 3 cups croissant pieces on top of mixture. Brush top of croissant pieces with butter; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Sprinkle with dried cherries.
• Bake uncovered 55 to 65 minutes or until top is light golden brown (center will jiggle slightly). Cool 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, mix 1/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch and water until blended. Stir in frozen cherries. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
• Serve sauce over warm bread pudding. Store bread pudding and sauce covered in refrigerator.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-CHERRY BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine dried cherries, juice and 2 tablespoons sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir a minute or two until sugar dissolves.
• Remove from heat and set aside. (Note: If you use Grand Marnier instead, combine cherries and liqueur in a bowl, cover and allow to sit overnight to soak.)
• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a saucepan, combine white chocolate, half & half, milk and sugar, heating over medium heat about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring until chocolate melts and is thoroughly combined.
• Add cinnamon and nutmeg and reduce heat to simmer.
• Stir a little of the hot mixture into the beaten eggs and stir well to temper the eggs. Slowly add the tempered eggs into the white-chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
• Drain cherries and reserve the liquid.
• Butter a 9x9-inch baking pan or 8 ramekins.
• Place half the cubed buns in the pan or ramekins, top with half of the cherries. Follow with the rest of the cubed buns and the remaining cherries.
• Ladle the white chocolate liquid over the bread and cherries. Press down slightly to make sure the liquid soaks into the bread thoroughly.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes away clean. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• Make topping by combining creme fraiche, confectioner's sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved cherry liquid, stirring well.
• Top the bread pudding with the creme and serve warm.

CHOCOLATE CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk the first 9 ingredients until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Gently stir in croissants; let stand until bread is softened, about 15 minutes. , Transfer to a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake until puffed and golden, and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Serve warm.

BREAD PUDDING WITH DRIED CHERRIES ON THE GRILL

Steps:

• Grill the bread over direct medium heat until toasted and grill marks appear, about 2 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time.
• Cut bread into cubes and set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy, about 3 minutes.
• Add the sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and melted butter. Beat until well blended.
• Add milk, then stir in dried cherries and lemon zest.
• Add bread cubes and toss until mixed well.
• Let rest for about 45 minutes, patting the bread down into the liquid occasionally.
• Transfer bread and egg mixture to a 5- by 9-inch loaf pan.
• Place pan in center of cooking grate and grill over indirec medium heat for 50 to 60 minutes or until top is well-browned and puffy.
• Slice and serve warm with low-fat frozen yogurt, if desired.

CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Place pecans on a baking sheet.
• Toast pecans in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Place torn croissants into the prepared baking pan. Pour milk over bread and let soak for 10 minutes.
• Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl using an electric mixer. Pour over bread mixture, blending well, using your hands if needed. Add toasted pecans, chocolate chips, and toffee bits. Mix well.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the center is cooked through and top is golden brown, about 1 hour.
• While bread pudding is baking, bring sugar, half-and-half, and butter to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and let custard simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove custard from heat and let cool slightly. Pour in vanilla extract and stir well.
• Remove bread pudding from oven and serve warm with custard sauce.