Chocolate Brownie and Brioche Bread Pudding
Pastry Chef Jan Purdy of Max Restaurant - Sherman Oaks, CA
Adapted by StarChefs


Yield: 8 - 10 Servings

Ingredients:

Brownies:

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• ¾ cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 4 ounces unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 4 Tablespoons water
• 2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Dark chocolate cake:

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cake flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2/3 cup boiling water

Custard:

• 5 eggs, plus 4 egg yolks
• 2 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• ¼ cup Frangelico

Hazelnut streusel:

• 8 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 2 cups hazelnuts, skinned and coarsely chopped

Vanilla sauce:

• 7 egg yolks
• 6 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 ½ sheets gelatin, softened in cold water and drained (or 1 ½ teaspoons powdered gelatin dissolved in 3 Tablespoons cold water)
• ½ cup Frangelico

Carmel sauce:

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 2 ounces unsalted butter (half stick)

To assemble:

• 4-5 Tablespoons butter, softened
• Half of a 9 by 5-inch brioche loaf, trimmed of crust, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Special equipment:

• 6-ounce soufflé cups

For dark chocolate cake:
Preheat oven 325°F. Butter and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan. In a small bowl, sift all-purpose and cake flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Blend eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla, and milk in mixer on medium speed. Slowly add sifted ingredients and blend on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add boiling water and blend well, scraping bottom of bowl. Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake approximately 40 – 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into half-inch cubes.

For custard:
In a large bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks until well blended. Add heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and Frangelico. Whisk mixture well and divide into 2 large bowls.

For hazelnut streusel:
Blend butter, flour and sugar in mixer with paddle attachment on low speed until mixture resembles fine crumbs, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add hazelnuts and blend briefly; do not overmix.

For vanilla sauce:
In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until smooth. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, cream, and vanilla bean to a simmer. Pour half of hot milk mixture into egg mixture and whisk well to blend. Quickly pour egg mixture back into remaining milk mixture in saucepan, whisking continuously. Return saucepan to medium-high heat and whisk continuously until thickened. Remove from heat and continue to stir to distribute heat; sauce will continue to thicken from retained heat of pan. Add softened gelatin sheets and blend well to dissolve. Add Frangelico liquor. Strain mixture through a chinois into a large bowl. Chill completely.

For caramel sauce:
Mix sugar and water in 4-quart saucepan. Heat over high heat until mixture begins to caramelizes to a deep amber color, approximately 310°F to 320°F on a candy thermometer, or about 8-10 minutes. Add cream very slowly and whisk well. Mixture will boil up; beware of steam. Add butter and mix well. Chill sauce completely.

To assemble:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease soufflé cups with butter. Soak brioche cubes in one bowl of custard and brownie pieces in second bowl of custard for half an hour. Do not soak cake pieces. Remove brioche and brownie cubes, reserving custard.

In prepared soufflé cups, layer half of the cubes of soaked brioche, brownie and cake pieces half-way. Sprinkle half of chocolate chips on top. Pour enough custard to cover and repeat process with second layer of brioche, brownies, cake and chocolate chips. Pour remaining custard into cups. Cover with a generous amount of hazelnut streusel and pack firmly on top. Bread should not show through. Crown of pudding will be an inch or more higher than cup.

Place cups in baking pans large enough to hold them and fill pans with warm water to come half way up sides of cups. Bake approximately 50 minutes, or until custard should no longer be runny and liquid. Remove puddings from water bath and allow to cool at least one hour before serving. To unmold, hold a towel over crown of pudding and turn upside down. Gently tap side of cup against countertop to release. Flip pudding right side up onto plate. Serve with caramel and vanilla sauces.

Wine Pairing:
A big Pedro Ximenez such as the Domecq Venerable PX 30 year VORS.