Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding
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Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding is rich, dense and decadent. You'll love the dark chocolate flavor combined with cinnamon, nuts, and spiced rum. But, the caramel rum sauce will steal the show!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Don't let the fancy name fool 'ya, Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding is as easy to make as it is to eat! So easy in fact, I had to stop myself from sneaking back to the fridge in the middle of the night to take another bite.
The idea for this decadent treat came when I found a lovely brioche chocolate chip loaf at the grocery store. It was just staring at me...begging for additional ingredients to turn it into something grand. And just like that...Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding was born.
You'll love the intense chocolate flavor of this bread pudding, but you'll go crazy over the caramel rum sauce. It's similar to this delicious Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe. Or, for another sweet breakfast treat, try these Chocolate Cherry Pancakes topped with fresh whipped cream!
What is Brioche?
In the past few years, brioche products have started showing up on store shelves. You may have tried brioche hamburger or hotdog buns which are absolutely yummy!
Brioche is basically bread with a higher egg and butter content, made popular by the French. The result is a lighter, fluffier product, which borderlines on being a pastry. It's the perfect choice for bread pudding, especially when chocolate is involved.
I used an entire loaf of brioche in this recipe which already had chocolate chips scattered throughout. But, if you can't find this product in your store, any brioche loaf will do.
Ingredients You'll Need
Bread Pudding
- loaf brioche bread, plain or chocolate chip,
- chocolate chips
- large eggs
- milk
- heavy cream
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- spiced rum (or vanilla)
Topping
- pecans
- brown sugar
- butter
- chocolate chips
Caramel Rum Sauce
- brown sugar
- butter
- half & half
- spiced rum
How to Make Bread Pudding
Begin by cutting brioche loaf into cubes, then place in a greased 13" x 9" casserole dish. If you don't have brioche bread, use any type that is thick enough to handle liquid (like Italian, Sourdough, or Challah bread). Sprinkle chocolate chips over bread.
Whisk eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon and spiced rum together in a large bowl. Pour mixture over bread and chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 15 minutes while you make the topping.
Add chopped pecans, brown sugar and butter to a separate bowl. Mix with hands until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over bread pudding in casserole dish. Finish by sprinkling additional chocolate chips on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour until the pudding is set, then remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.
How to Make Caramel Rum Sauce
To make the caramel rum sauce, melt a stick of butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add brown sugar and stir for about 2 minutes. Add half & half and whisk until the sugar is melted.
Take off of heat and add spiced rum. If you prefer, you can use vanilla extract instead of rum, but only use 2 tablespoons of vanilla. Stir well and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Drizzle the sauce over individual servings of bread pudding and serve while warm. Oh. My. Goodness! Take one bite and I promise you'll keep coming back for more!
Recipe Highlights
Bread pudding is traditionally served as a special dessert, but it's also perfect for brunch with a serving of fruit and sausage. Many bread puddings call for stale bread, but you can use fresh bread for this recipe if you wish.
I'm not a big fan of bread puddings that taste like croutons. In this recipe, the bread is fully immersed in cream which yields a moist and tender pudding. It has the consistently of custard, which is the result I wanted. Reduce the quantity of milk if you like a drier version.
The chocolate adds richness, but the bread is light enough to enjoy all year round. You'll love the dense, dark chocolate flavor combined with cinnamon, nuts, and brioche. When drizzled with my amazing caramel rum sauce...it's simply divine!
More Desserts to Love
- Fried Apple Crisp
- Chocolate Strawberry Tart
- Granny Tag's Prune Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Flip Cake
- Blueberry Peach Cobbler
Recipe Card
Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
BREAD PUDDING
- 1 loaf brioche bread plain or chocolate chip, cubed
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons spiced rum or vanilla
TOPPING
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons butter softened
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
CARAMEL RUM SAUCE
- 1 stick butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup half & half
- ¼ cup spiced rum
Instructions
BREAD PUDDING
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut brioche loaf into cubes, then place in a greased 13" x 9" casserole dish.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over bread.
- Whisk eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon and spiced rum together in a large bowl.
- Pour mixture over bread and chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 10 minutes while making topping.
TOPPING
- Place chopped pecans, brown sugar and softened butter in a separate bowl.
- Mix with hands until crumbly.
- Sprinkle topping over bread pudding in casserole dish.
- Finish by sprinkling additional chocolate chips on top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until the pudding is set and golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
CARAMEL RUM SAUCE
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.
- Add brown sugar and stir for about 2 minutes.
- Add half & half and whisk until sugar is melted.
- Take off heat and add spiced rum or vanilla. Stir well and cool for 10 minutes.
- Drizzle sauce over individual servings of bread pudding while still warm.
- Save leftover caramel sauce in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Store leftover bread pudding and caramel rum sauce in the refrigerator. Reheat in microwave before serving.
- You can make this recipe a day ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. This comes in handy when serving guests, especially at the holidays.
- If using vanilla instead of spiced rum in the sauce, only use 2 tablespoons.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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WOW!!! This was decadent and too good. A holiday treat!
So glad you tried this bread pudding recipe! 🙂
Can I use a Bundt pan to do this recipe?
Hi Helene. I've never tried using a bundt pan, but I think it might work! If you decide to use one, please let me know how it goes! 🙂
That looks great! And tell Lorna and Jerry “hello” for me.
Thanks Dewitt! And, I sure will say hi for you! 🙂
Omgosh... mine wasn’t as pretty... but definitely delicious! Thank you!
So glad you liked it Anecia! 🙂
LOVE bread pudding! Again, after trying this special recipe for bread pudding, I have to say it is awesome. The sauce was so smooth, but I want to try it with the vanilla also. The suggestion from Lorna for ice cream is exactly how this small piece I have left will be finished off! Thanks Deb!
Thanks Melanie! If you use vanilla instead of rum, only use two tablespoons. 🙂
Dang this pandemic! Or i could have tried this already!! So glad that I had a speck of inspiration in all this yumminess! I can’t wait to make this! I may be forced to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream - just because!
I saved a slice for ya! Can't wait for you to try it. 🙂 Thanks for the idea!