Challah Bread Pudding Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk the first 11 ingredients until blended. Gently stir in bread; let stand until bread is softened, about 15 minutes. Stir in raisins, apples and walnuts. Dot with cold butter., Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake until puffed, golden, and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Serve warm, with ice cream if desired.

Steps:

• The day before you want to serve this dessert, if possible, put raisins in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and drain. Place plumped raisins in a plastic container with a tight-fitting cover and sprinkle with the rum. Cover and let macerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt the butter and cool slightly.
• Cut the challah in half, and cut one of the halves into thin slices. Cut remaining bread into cubes.
• Put diced challah in the bottom of the baking dish. Strew with the raisins and rum and half the butter. Dip one side of each slice of challah into the butter and arrange, slightly overlapping and buttered side up, over the top of diced challah and raisins.
• Combine the milk, cream and sugar, and vanilla bean in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and allow to stand 3 minutes; whisk smooth.
• Whisk eggs until combined in a large mixing bowl, then strain the milk mixture into the eggs and beat them together. Do not overbeat or the custard will have a great deal of foam on the surface. Strain the custard back into the pan and use a large spoon to skim any foam from the surface. Pour the custard over the challah.
• Place the baking dish in another larger pan and pour warm water into it to come halfway up the side of the baking dish. Bake the bread pudding for about 45 minutes, until the custard is set and the challah is an even color.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and half and half until frothy. Add the tarragon, some salt and pepper, and whisk together. Add the cubed challah and let it soak in the egg mixture for about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham, peppers and spring onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the ham is a bit browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining butter and spread the ham and vegetables out evenly in the pan. Pour in the challah-egg mixture and let cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the frittata becomes light and fluffy, about 3 more minutes. Place the pan under the broiler until the top is browned, about 1 minute. Transfer the frittata to a plate and cut into wedges.
• Note: If you don't have a broiler, use a heat proof rubber spatula and carefully flip the frittata over, and cook for 1 minute. Or, melt a tablespoon of butter in a separate skillet until it sizzles. Pour the melted butter over the frittata and place the empty skillet over the frittata pan. Holding both handles, carefully flip the pans over, and cook the frittata on the other side for a minute.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Combine warmed milk and melted butter with the sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until incorporated and smooth.
• Line a large baking dish with two-thirds of the challah slices. Sprinkle with half the chocolate chips and half the raisins. Top with remaining challah slices, layering them one on top of the other, and then remaining chocolate chips and raisins, making sure the chips and raisins get inside the layers created by the challah slices.
• Pour milk mixture slowly over the top of everything and let stand until the bread has absorbed almost all of the liquid, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Wrap the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and cook 10 to 15 minutes longer until set in the middle and lightly browned on top.
• Remove from oven and let cool before serving. Serve with the Chocolate Ganache drizzled over top.
• Chocolate Ganache:
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream to just below a simmer.
• Place the chocolate chips in a medium heat-proof bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Remove plastic wrap and whisk vigorously until ganache becomes a uniform smooth chocolate sauce. Serve while warm.
• Cook's Note: To make in advance, let cool, cover tightly and keep refrigerated until ready to use. Then microwave on low heat for 20 to 30 second intervals or heat over a double boiler.