Pumpkin and Milk Chocolate Bread Pudding

I had asked Todd to pick up some croissants for me when he went into town yesterday, thinking that wasn't something he could mess up.  WRONG! 

Poor Todd . . . he thought he would save some money and buy the ones that were running out of date, so they were stale and not at their best (which is how I wanted them) and after traveling home in his bag, kinda squashed.  (Why do men always squash the bread????) I just bit my tongue and didn't say anything and then changed my plans.

Poor guy.   Whenever I ask him to pick me up something at the store . . .  he looks a bit like a deer caught in the headlights.  He always, always gets the wrong thing, and he knows it.  It's inevitable.   I don't complain any more.  I just sigh inside and try to smile.  I have come to the conclusion that men and woman really are from completely different planets.

Whenever I see a man wandering the grocery store aisles with cell phone to the ear, I have a little chuckle to myself.  Poor guys . . . it is the rare man who knows where things are and exactly what his wife wants, and who actually brings home just what she wanted, instead of something not quite right!

So anyways, I took the stale croissants and made a delicious pumpkin and milk chocolate bread pudding with them, and turned my lemons into lemonade.  Better to do that than to offend the one I love.  He was happy, and I get to show you something else that's delicious.  Everybody wins. 

Rich, buttery, spicy and oozingly laced with milk chocolate.   Delicious.  Simple.  Decadent.   What more could you want?

*Pumpkin and Milk Chocolate Bread Pudding*

Serves 6

Printable Recipe  

This is all of your dreams come true in a pudding . . . the butteriness of flaky croissants, spicy pumpkin custard and rich milk chocolate chunks.  What's not to love about this!

3 large free range eggs

6 large free range egg yolks

7 stale large croissants

450ml of whole milk

225ml of double cream

425g tin of pumpkin puree (15 ounces)

1/2 pound of good milk chocolate, cut into small chunks

1 tsp vanilla paste

145g of golden caster sugar (3/4 cup)

100g of light brown muscovado sugar (1/2 cup packed)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp powdered ginger

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Butter a 1 quart shallow baking dish.  Set aside.

Tear the croissants up and place into a large bowl, and toss together with the chocolate chunks.

 


Whisk together the remaining ingredients, making sure they are well combined.   Pour this over the croissant pieces and toss to coat.   Pour into the prepared baking dish, making sure that the chocolate is evenly spaced amongst the croissant bits.  

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until set, but still a bit wobbly in the centre and a knife inserted near the centre comes out clean.  Serve warm or at room temperature.