Pear and Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding

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Prep Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
8

In place of brioche, you can use a rustic white bread or challah.

Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter, room temperature, for baking dish

  • 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

  • 7 ounces brioche, cut into eight ½-inch slices, halved diagonally

  • 1 ½ pounds firm but ripe pears, such as Anjou or Bartlett (about 3), cored and very thinly sliced

  • 3 large eggs, plus 3 large egg yolks

  • 1 ½ cups whole milk

  • 1 ¼ cups heavy cream

  • ½ cup packed light-brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt

  • 1 tablespoon sanding or other coarse sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle bottom evenly with chocolate. Arrange brioche in dish, alternating each slice with 3 or 4 pear slices.

  2. In a large bowl, gently whisk together eggs and egg yolks, milk, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour mixture evenly over bread and pears and let sit 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.

  3. Bake until brioche is puffed and custard is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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