Black and White Bread Pudding

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For chocolate lovers everywhere -- as delicious alone as with the sinfully rich custard sauce. We love the warm pudding with the cold sauce!

SERVINGS
16

COOK TIME
75

TOTAL TIME
135

INGREDIENTS
1 loaf (16 ounces) sliced firm white bread
4 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
9 large eggs
3 ounces white chocolate,* grated
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), grated
White-Chocolate Custard Sauce (below)

PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease 13" by 9" glass or ceramic baking dish; set aside. Place bread slices on large cookie sheet; light toast in oven 20 to 30 minutes, turning once.

2. Meanwhile, in very large bowl, with wire whisk or fork, beat milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, and eggs until blended. Stir in grated chocolates.

3. Place bread slices in baking dish, overlapping slightly. Pour milk mixture evenly over bread; let stand 30 minutes for bread to absorb most of the milk mixture, occasionally spooning mixture over bread.

4. Cover baking dish with foil; bake 1 hour. Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer until top is golden.

5. While pudding is baking, prepare White-Chocolate Custard Sauce. Serve bread pudding warm. Or, refrigerate to serve cold later.

White-Chocolate Custard Sauce:
Finely chop 3 ounces white chocolate; place in large bowl. In small bowl, with wire whisk, beat 4 large egg yolks; gradually whisk in 1/4 cup sugar until combined; set aside. In heavy 2-quart saucepan, over medium heat, heat 1 cup milk and 3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream until small bubbles form around edge of pan. Into egg mixture, beat small amount of hot milk mixture. Slowly pour egg mixture back into milk mixture, stirring rapidly to prevent lumping. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture chickens slightly and coats back of a spoon well, about 5 minutes. (Mixture should be about 160 degrees F., but do not boil or it will curdle.) Pour mixture over white chocolate, stirring to combine. Serve custard sauce warm or refrigerate to serve cold. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

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