Description
Indulge in this rich and creamy Decadent Chocolate & Cream Cheese Bread Pudding featuring soft brioche or challah soaked in a smooth custard, loaded with pockets of cream cheese and dark chocolate chunks, then baked to perfection with a golden top and a gooey center.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 1 loaf (about 1 pound) sweet bread (like brioche or challah), torn into 1-inch pieces
Custard
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Add-ins
- 8 ounces cream cheese, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks or chips, divided
Other
- Unsalted butter, for greasing the baking dish
Instructions
- Prepare the bread: Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with unsalted butter. Evenly scatter the torn bread pieces across the dish to create a base for the pudding.
- Make the custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Soak the bread: Pour the custard evenly over the bread pieces in the baking dish. Gently press down on the bread to fully submerge it and allow the bread to absorb the liquid. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or, for best results, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. This soaking step ensures a moist and gooey interior.
- Add the fillings: After the soaking period, gently fold in the cream cheese cubes and 1 cup of the dark chocolate chunks, distributing them evenly throughout the mixture.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chunks over the top of the pudding. Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is set but still slightly jiggly when gently shaken to maintain the moist, gooey texture.
- Cool and serve: Remove from the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes to allow the custard to set fully. Serve warm for the best creamy, decadent experience.
Notes
- Use brioche or challah for the richest flavor and best texture.
- Do not overbake to keep the center gooey and creamy.
- Overnight soaking yields the most tender and fully infused bread pudding.
- For variation, swap dark chocolate chunks for semi-sweet or milk chocolate.
- Serve warm, optionally with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: bread pudding, chocolate bread pudding, cream cheese dessert, decadent dessert, baked custard, brioche dessert, challah bread pudding
