Whole Wheat Chocolate Bread Pudding

This post is less on timeliness (tomorrow is the 4th of July) and more about using what you have. A 
couple of weeks ago, I had made hamburgers for dinner. We like the Oroweat hamburger buns. Since there is only the hubby and me to make dinner for, I routinely have leftover buns, which sit in the pantry and mold until I through them out.

This is truly unacceptable because those suckers are expensive! What to do? What to do? Ah, I know! I'll make bread pudding.

 I searched on the internet for a recipe and found Paula Deen's Chocolate Bread Pudding. I thought, "the only thing better than bread pudding is chocolate bread pudding". I followed her recipe exactly, except I did not use french bread. I used my old hamburger buns. It turned out great! I mean really, how badly can you mess up a recipe that has heavy cream and brown sugar in it.

The next day I took my creation to work. At first the test bunnies (aka my co-workers)
 were startled.
They had never thought about making a bread pudding from hamburger buns. But since I had fed them before with favorable results and my dessert did have chocolate in it, they ate the whole pan.

Smiles and complements abounded as the treat was enjoyed. My favorite was from Ryan. He told me. "Rada, I am going to save all my leftover hamburger buns, so that you can make me this bead pudding again." Thank you Ryan. If you bring them to work, I probably will.

If you want to make this bun saving dish in your cooking district here is the recipe.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

 Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) loaf French or Italian bread, cubed
• 3 cups milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup coffee flavored liqueur
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and place the bread in the dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, and liqueur. Using another bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder and mix well. Add the sugar mixture to the milk mixture and mix well. Add the vanilla and almond extract, and cinnamon to the beaten eggs. Combine the egg mixture to the milk mixture and mix well.
Stir the grated chocolate into the mixture. Pour the mixture over the cubed bread in the pan. Let the mixture stand, stirring occasionally for approximately 20 minutes or until bread absorbs most of the milk mixture. Bake pudding for 1 hour or until set. Check pudding by inserting a knife through the middle and it should come out clean.

Serve the pudding warm, or refrigerate and serve chilled with whipped cream if desired.

Image Credits to:
 carlylyn.deviantart.com
foodnetwork,com