May 5: Chocolate Custard Day/Mexican Chocolate Bread Pudding

Louise at Months of Edible Celebrations pointed out that May 5 is also Chocolate Custard Day. Here's her link to a Chocolate Sponge Custard.

So since it's Cinco de Mayo, I did a quick search for specific Cinco de Mayo Chocolate Custard. How esoteric is that? Not very, I found out. The Food Network has a recipe for Chocolate Custard Corn Pone, and Triple-Chocolate Custard.

I'm a big Bread Pudding fan, so here's a recipe for Cinco de Mayo, Chocolate Custard Day, and every day. (Recipe from Erika Kerekes) This serves 20, so it's a great treat to take to a party. You can always make less, but be sure to figure out the right measures before you do it. Baking is rarely about halving. I thought it might be fun to use this recipe for muffins.

Mexican Chocolate Bread Pudding
1 large loaf challah, cut into 1-inch cubes (no need to remove crust)
1 lb dark chocolate, broken into pieces
12 eggs
3 cups heavy cream
4 cups milk
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp ground pure chile (not chili powder - New Mexcio chile or ancho chile or California Chile)
1 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pile the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 15 minutes. You want them to dry out a bit before mixing them with the custard so that they absorb as much of the liquid as possible. Remove them from the oven and let them cool a bit. Raise the oven temperature to 375.

While the bread is toasting, put the chocolate pieces in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate on high for 1 minute, let it rest, then zap it for 1 minute more. Remove the chocolate and stir it with a spatula or spoon until it is smooth and melted.

In a very large bowl, mix together the eggs, cream, milk, sugar and spices. Add the melted chocolate and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Put the bread in the bowl, toss well, and let the bread soak in the custard mixture at least half an hour and up to two hours, tossing occasionally to make sure all the bread cubes are well coated.

Spray a very large baking pan (or two medium baking pans) with cooking spray (I don't use spray, so you can always butter the pans-JR). Turn the bread-custard mixture into the pan(s) and smooth out the top. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes to an hour, until the pudding is set. Remove the pudding from the oven and let it sit at least 15 minutes before serving.