PAIN AU CHOCOLAT BREAD PUDDING WITH CRANBERRIES AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Pain au Chocolat Bread Pudding with Cranberries and Chocolate Sauce image

Yield Serves 6 to 8

Number Of Ingredients 10

6 cups lightly packed bite-size pieces croissant (from about eight 5 1/2-inch croissants)
6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 1/2 cups fresh or unthawed frozen cranberries
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Steps:

In a large baking pan dry bread, uncovered, at room temperature 12 hours. (Alternatively, dry bread in a 250°F oven 1 hour.)
Butter a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.
Chop chocolate. In a food processor finely chop cranberries. Arrange half of bread in one layer in baking dish and sprinkle evenly with half of chocolate and all of cranberries. Top mixture with remaining bread.
In a bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, 1/2 cup cream, vanilla, and salt and pour slowly and evenly over bread. Cut butter into bits and dot pudding with it. Chill pudding, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Bake pudding in middle of oven until slightly puffed and golden, about 40 minutes.
In a small metal bowl set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water melt remaining chocolate and whisk in remaining 1/4 cup cream and a pinch salt until combined well. Keep sauce warm, covered.
Serve pudding warm or at room temperature with sauce.