White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Want an outrageous mouth watering experience?  This is one of those sinfully rich decadent delicacies that defy calorie consciousness.

This is Nordstrom Bistro’s most popular dessert.

Enough said….

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

While it IS a lot of work and a lot of calories, it is SO worth the effort for a special occasion. The best part is you can make it ahead and assemble at the last minute which makes this THE IDEAL dessert for entertaining!  No matter how much you’ve eaten, there is ALWAYS room for this bread pudding.  It has a crisp, yet delicate exterior and a smooth, velvety and seductive interior.  It’s served on top of a rich white chocolate sauce, decorated with a raspberry coulis (french, meaning sauce made from pureed ingredients, this time raspberries) and garnished with shaved white chocolate ribbons.  Let’s say it together…

oh…

my…

gosh…

Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook

Printable Recipe

Bread Pudding:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 cups heavy (whipping) cream
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels
• 6 large whole eggs, plus 12 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 24-inch loaf day old French bread, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

Raspberry Coulis:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 2 cups fresh or unsweetened frozen raspberries

White Chocolate Sauce:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup white chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 325°. Brush a 9×13 inch pan with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, milk, and sugar and heat just until hot. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate morsels, and stir until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Whisking constantly, gradually drizzle the warm cream mixture into the eggs, continuing to whisk until smooth and well blended.  (If the cream mixture is too hot, the eggs will curdle!)

Lay half the bread slices in the bottom of prepared pan. Pour half of the cream mixture over the bread and allow to absorb the liquid, about 5 minutes. Layer the remaining bread on top and pour the rest of the cream mixture over it. Press down on the bread, making certain it completely absorbs the liquid. Cover the pan with foil.

Bake the pudding for 1 hour. Uncover and continue to bake until the liquid in the center has evaporated and the pudding is golden brown, about 30 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

When the bread pudding has cooled, cover and refrigerate until cold. Run a sharp knife between the edges of the pudding and the sides of the pan to loosen and then invert the pan onto a cutting board.  Peel off parchment paper and trim the crusty edges around the sides. Cut the bread pudding into six 2-by-3-inch rectangles and then cut each rectangle in half on the angle to form 2 triangles. Wrap and store in the refrigerator.

To make the raspberry coulis:

Combine water, sugar, and orange zest in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Add the raspberries, reduce heat to low, and cook until fruit begins to fall apart, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then force the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl to remove the seeds.  Set aside until ready to serve.

To make the white chocolate sauce:

Warm cream in saucepan over medium heat until hot.  Remove from heat and stir in morsels.  Stir constantly until chocolate is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.  Keep warm.

To assemble the dessert:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a rimmed baking dish and place the bread pudding triangles on it, leaving spaces between. Brush triangles with remaining melted butter. Bake until heated through and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. For each serving, pour a circle of white chocolate sauce onto plate.  Place bread pudding triangle in middle of sauce.  Dot with raspberry coulis (can create hearts by pulling a toothpick through the dots, towards you).  Garnish with fresh raspberries and ribbons of white chocolate cut from a chunk with a vegetable peeler.