Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

I know the photo isn't the best, but I forgot to photograph the pan before we all dug into it. I was originally going to make a cake for my bff's birthday party but with lots and lots of rolls and bread left over from Thanksgiving, I thought I'd use the leftovers to make a bread pudding.

For me, bread pudding is like risotto (bear with me here) . . . it always sounds great on a menu but usually after about 3 bites, I've had enough:  it's tasty, but rich and heavy.  This last time that I made it, I managed to eat a whole serving.  Sure, I felt it the next day but it was worth it!  

What's especially good about this recipe is the cinnamon rum sauce.  I bet it would be great on just about anything (ice cream, pound cake, fruit).  Also, don't skip the chocolate chips.  That little bit of bittersweet chocolate interspersed between the bread is just perfect.  

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding serves 12-14

(Bon Appetit 1/03)

• 1pound loaf of bread with crust, cut into 1-inch cubes (original recipe calls for Brioche or egg-bread but I used approximately 1 pound of french rolls)
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• 2 1/2 cups half and half
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place bread in large bowl; pour 8 tablespoons melted butter over bread and toss to coat. Add chocolate chips and toss to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.

Whisk half and half, 1 cup sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt in large bowl to blend. Pour over bread cubes in dish. Let stand 30 minutes, occasionally pressing bread cubes into custard. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over pudding; sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake bread pudding until puffed, brown, and set in center, about 1 hour. Serve warm with Cinnamon-Rum Sauce.

Cinnamon-Rum Sauce (yield 1.5 cups)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup dark rum

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Melt unsalted butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add dark brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt and whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbling and smooth, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in dark rum and vanilla extract. Serve warm.

(Cinnamon-Rum Sauce can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat, whisking occasionally, before serving.)