8 ounces Bittersweet chocolate
3 cups Half-and-half
1 cup Sugar
2 large Eggs
4-3/4 cup Fresh bread cubes
Cinnamon Crème Anglais (recipe follows)
Grease six 3 3/4-inch individual fluted tube pans or 8-oz timbale molds. In top of double boiler, over simmering water, melt chocolate. In 2-quart saucepan, heat half-and-half and 1/2 C sugar to boiling.
In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat eggs and remaining 1/2 Cup sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Slowly beat in half-and-half mixture. Stir in bread cubes and melted chocolate just until combined to form pudding batter.
Heat oven to 400’F. Fill greased pans with batter. Bake puddings 30 to 40 minutes or until centers spring back when gently pressed with fingertip. Prepare Cinnamon Crème Anglaise.
Cool puddings in pans on wire rack 10 minutes; unmold.
To serve, pour some Cinnamon Crème Anglaise onto each of 6 dessert plates. Place Chocolate Bread Pudding on Crème Anglaise.
Cinnamon Crème Anglaise:
In 2-quart saucepan, heat 2 Cups half-and-half to boiling. In large bowl, with wire whisk, beat 4 large egg yolks and 6 tablespoons sugar. Slowly beat half-and half into yolk mixture; add 1 vanilla bean, split, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Pour all back into saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until Crème Anglaise coats a spoon. (Do not boil.) Strain Crème Anglaise into bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.