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Rhubarb and White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Rhubarb and White Chocolate Bread Pudding

The ultimate Springtime Bread Pudding, with fresh rhubarb, creamy white chocolate chunks and garnished with strawberry chips and chocolate mint.  This needs to be eaten on a patio with a side of vanilla ice cream and a glass of champagne!

Course Dessert
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 10

Ingredients

Pudding

  • 12 cups of challah bread cut into 1 inch cubes (one large challah should do it- about a 16oz loaf)
  • 4 medium stalks of rhubarb
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 4 tbsp 1/2 stick butter, melted
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 5 oz good quality white chocolate cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch chunks
  • 5-6 good dashes of rhubarb bitters optional, but amazing if you can do it!

Topping

  • 1 cup dried strawberries see below for recipe
  • 3 tbsp fresh chopped chocolate mint can substitute with any other type of mint

Instructions

Bread Pudding

  1. If the bread is still too fresh (too soft on the inside, as you slice it) lay out 1 inch slices onto a baking sheet and let them dry out. Either on the counter, or in a 200F oven. Check regularly and turn over if necessary. You want the bread to be going to the stale stage, so that it doesn't go mushy when the custard is added to it.
  2. Cut the dried bread into 1inch cubes and place in a large bowl. You will need 12 cups worth
  3. Cut the rhubarb into 1/2 cubes and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp sugar.

  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, eggs, milk, cream, melted butter, salt and vanilla.

  5. Add all but 2 tbsp of the chocolate chunks to the egg mixture.
  6. Pour this mixture over the bread and toss gently to get the bread started in soaking it all up. Toss 5-6 generous dashes of rhubarb bitters over everything. While this is optional, it does add a depth of flavour and a slight bright contrast to the creaminess of the contents.
  7. Spray a large baking pan (9x13) with non-stick spray.
  8. Spoon half of the bread mixture into the pan and spread out evenly. Sprinkle half of the rhubarb pieces evenly over the bread, gently nudging them into the nooks and crannies.
  9. Repeat, getting all the bread and liquid poured evenly over the pan, and add the final amount of rhubarb. Press down gently to get the bread soaking up all the liquid. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes.
  10. Preheat the oven to 325F
  11. When the oven is warmed through, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chunks over the pudding.
  12. Place the pan onto a baking sheet and place this onto the middle rack of the oven.
  13. Bake for 50 minutes or until set. Check the middle section with a toothpick.
  14. Remove from the oven.

Topping

  1. Take the strawberry chips and crush gently into various sizes and sprinkle these over the pudding like confetti! Do the same with the mint!
  2. Serve with a side of vanilla ice cream

Recipe Notes

This will feed 8-10 comfortably. Feel free to cut the entire recipe in half and just adjust your baking pan accordingly.

Any extra strawberries will be great on cereal or yogurt.

Oven Dried Strawberries:

2 cups of trimmed, cleaned and dried strawberries

1 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 200F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.

Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the strawberries into 1/8 inch thick slices Place these into a bowl, and add the lemon juice. Gently toss to coat.

Lay these out evenly in one layer on the baking sheet. Bake until dry but tacky. This will take 3-3 1/2 hours.

Let cool completely. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Recipe courtesy of Bake From Scratch, Volume 4, issue 2