PEAR & WHITE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

PEAR & WHITE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING image

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 20-ounce loaf challah or brioche, cut into 3/4-inch cubes; makes 12 cups (may substitute brioche)
3 Bosc pears, 2 1/2 of them peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks; makes 3 cups (1/2 pear wrapped thightly in plastic wrap to prevent oxidation, reserved for garnish)
12 ounces white chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (1/2 cup reserved for garnish)
1/2 vanilla bean, split with seeds scraped
9 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 scant cup (granulated) sugar
2 tablespoons pear-flavored liqueur, such as Poire William (optional)
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, for garnish and for sprinkling (optional)
12 sprigs mint, for garnish (optional)
Half fill ea. ramekin w/ bread cubes. Layer pear chunks on top of bread, press down. Overstuff ramekins w/ more bread. Stud ea. w/ chocolate chunks.

Steps:

Combine cream, vanilla bean and seeds in med. saucepan; bring just to scalding over med-hi heat. Watch closely. Meanwhile, whisk eggs + sugar together in lg bowl. Remove cream from heat, discard bean. Whisk a little cream into egg-sugar mixture to equalize temp. of eggs, then slowly whisk in remaining cream to form a custard. Strain to remove any curdled egg. Add liqueur, if using. Transfer custard into vessel w/ spout. Fill ea. ramekin to top w/ custard, poke holes to get to bottom. Let ramekins rest 30 min. to absorb custard. 15 mins. b/f baking, preheat oven to 350. Boil water for roasting pan bath. Top off ea. pudding w/ more custard so ramekins are filled; puddings will glisten, may overflow slightly. Reserve remaining custard (@ room temp) to make sauce. Put pan on mid rack, fill w/ boiling water so water comes ½-way up sides of ramekins. Bake 20 mins, carefully turn pan front to back. Bake for 10-20 mins, or until puddings are puffed, set, golden. Let rest in water-filled pan until cool enough to handle. (Now, ramekins can be removed from water and cooled to room temp b/f covering; refrigerate up to 1 day. To serve, run a knife around inside edge of ea pudding and invert to unmold. To warm b/f serving, place unmolded puddings, browned side up, on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven, warm through.) Heat any remaining custard in med. saucepan over med-low heat, stirring constantly w/ wooden spoon until warmed through and slightly thickened to form sauce. (If eggs curdle, transfer to blender, puree until smooth.) Just b/f serving, combine remaining 1/2 c heavy cream & confectioners' sugar in bowl; beat to soft peaks. Cut remaining 1/2 pear into 24 very thin slices. Place a warm pudding on ea. plate. Spoon creme Anglaise around ea. Garnish w/ whipped cream, 2 fanned pear slices, mint sprig. Dust tops w/ confectioners' sugar.