Roma's Rich White Chocolate Bread Pudding
Submitted by elee
Roma’s white chocolate bread pudding: rich custard-soaked French bread baked into silky pudding, finished with warm white chocolate sauce and dark chocolate shavings. Restaurant-style indulgence.
YIELD
48 servingsPREP
40 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
8 hrsThis is the bread pudding you’d order at a fancy New Orleans steakhouse and pay $14 for one square. It’s loaded: six cups of heavy cream, ten ounces of white chocolate in the custard alone, fifteen egg yolks. There’s no apologizing for the richness. This is dessert for special occasions.
The technique demands precision. Heat the cream-milk-sugar mixture just to the bubbling point (not boiling), melt white chocolate into it, then temper into eggs and yolks slowly while whipping. Going too fast or too hot scrambles the eggs and ruins the smooth custard.
Day-old French bread is essential. Fresh bread turns to mush. If you don’t have stale bread on hand, dry it in a 275°F (135°C) oven for 10 minutes first. Pressing the bread firmly into the custard so it absorbs the liquid is what separates great bread pudding from soggy bread soup.
The white chocolate sauce drizzled on top adds extra indulgence. Dark chocolate shavings finish the plate, giving visual contrast against the pale pudding and bittersweet flavor relief from the white-chocolate richness.
Pro Tips
- Use real white chocolate (with cocoa butter), not white compound coating.
- Temper eggs slowly. A steady thin stream of hot cream with constant whisking prevents scrambling.
- Chill the pudding completely if you want clean slices. Warm bread pudding spoons out rough.
- For best presentation, cut into squares cold, then warm in a 275°F (135°C) oven before plating.
Variations
- Stir 1 cup of fresh raspberries into the custard before baking for tart contrast.
- Swap French bread for brioche or challah for even richer texture.
- Add 2 tablespoons of bourbon or Frangelico to the custard for extra warmth.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
In a large saucepan, heat the whipping cream, milk and sugar over medium heat until the mixture just begins to bubble around the edges but is not boiling.
Add the white chocolate pieces and stir until melted.
Remove from heat.
Combine the whole eggs and the egg yolks in a large bowl.
Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the eggs in a steady stream, whipping the eggs as you pour.
Slice the bread 1 inch thick (Use stale bread, or slice the bread then dry in a 275 degrees oven for about 10 minutes) Place the bread in a pan measuring about 9 x 12 inches.
Pour half the egg mixture over the bread. Use your fingers to press the bread into the mix so that it absorbs the liquid and becomes soggy.
Pour in the remaining mix.
Cover the pan with foil and bake in a 350℉ (180℃) oven for 1 hour.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the pudding is set and top is golden brown.
Make the sauce: Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan.
Remove from the heat and add the white chocolate, stirring until smooth and completely melted.
Spoon over the bread pudding.
To serve: You can either serve the bread pudding warm, spooned right out of the pan and topped with the sauce and grated chocolate, or prepare ahead of time for a more polished presentation.
Chill the bread pudding until completely set and firm, about 6 to 8 hours.
Loosen the sides from the pan with a knife and invert the pudding onto a cutting surface.
Cut into 6 squares, then cut the squares in half to make 12 triangles.
Place the triangles on a cookie sheet and heat in a 275 degrees oven for 15 minutes.
Serve with sauce and garnish with chocolate shavings.
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