1 loaf brioche (12-inch long), cut into 12 slices
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, pref. Caillebaut
3 cups heavy or whipping cream
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
12 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Brandy Custard Sauce
BRANDY CUSTARD SAUCE
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup brandy
Pinch of salt
Source: Arcadia Restaurant, Manhattan, NY
Preheat oven to 425 deg. F. Brush brioche slices with melted butter, toast on both sides in oven ’till golden brown. Coarsely chop chocolate; put the pieces in a small bowl. Put bowl in larger bowl of hot water; allow chocolate to melt slowly. Combine cream and milk in saucepan; heat *almost* to a boil. While cream/milk heats, whisk sugar and egg yolks together in large bowl until well blended. Slowly add hot cream, whisking constantly. Strain mixture into another bowl; skim off any foam. Slowly pour the strained mixture into the melted chocolate, whisking constantly. Stir in vanilla and salt. Arrange the brioche slices in a 12×9-inch baking dish in two overlapping rows. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bread, and cover loosely with saran wrap. Place a smaller dish on top of the plastic wrap, weighting down the brioche (you want it submerged.) Put weight in smaller dish as needed. Let stand 1 hour, until bread is soaked through. Remove weights and saran. Cover dish with foil; put a few holes in it to allow the steam to escape. Place baking pan in a larger pan, and fill the larger pan with hot water 2/3s up the sides of the baking dish. Transfer to the oven, and bake until the chocolate liquid has been absorbed and the pudding looks glossy, 1-3/4 hours. Spoon a pool of custard sauce onto each plate. Cut the warm pudding into squares, and arrange a square on the sauce. Serve additional sauce on the side.
Serves 6 to 8.
Brandy Custard Sauce
Fill a large mixing bowl with ice cubes and set aside. Combine egg yolks and sugar in another bowl, beat ’till well blended. Combine the cream and milk in a heavy pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, gradually add 1/2 cup hot cream to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk egg mixture back into saucepan containing the remaining hot cream, and place pan over med-low heat. Whisk constantly until cream begins to thicken. Do not let it boil! Remove pan from heat, stir in brandy and salt. Strain mixture into a small bowl and cool it quickly by putting the smaller bowl into the bowl full of ice. Serve chilled.
Makes about 2 cups.