Decadent Chocolate & Cream Cheese Bread Pudding: Gooey Perfection Recipe
Indulge in this Decadent Chocolate & Cream Cheese Bread Pudding that boasts a wonderfully gooey center and a perfectly golden crust. Made with sweet brioche or challah bread soaked in a rich custard of eggs, whole milk, and heavy cream, it’s studded generously with cream cheese cubes and dark chocolate chunks. The slow soak ensures a moist, luscious texture, making it an irresistible dessert perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes (including soaking time of 2 hours)
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 1 loaf (about 1 pound) sweet bread (like brioche or challah), torn into 1-inch pieces
Custard
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Fillings and Others
- 8 ounces cream cheese, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks or chips, divided
- Unsalted butter, for greasing the baking dish
Instructions
- Prepare the bread: Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with unsalted butter. Evenly scatter the torn sweet bread pieces in the prepared dish making sure they are spread out to cover the bottom.
- Make the custard: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined.
- Soak the bread: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread pieces in the baking dish. Gently press down on the bread so that it is fully submerged and soaks up the custard. Let the bread soak at room temperature for at least 30 minutes; for best results, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight to allow maximum moisture absorption and achieve a gooey interior.
- Add the fillings: After soaking, gently fold in the cream cheese cubes and 1 cup of the dark chocolate chunks, distributing them evenly throughout the custard-soaked bread mixture.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chunks evenly over the top of the bread pudding. Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is set yet still slightly jiggly when you gently shake the dish. Avoid overbaking to keep the center delightfully gooey.
- Cool and serve: Remove the bread pudding from the oven and allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes. This resting period helps the creamy center to settle properly. Serve warm for the best flavor and texture experience.
Notes
- For the richest gooey center, do not skip the soaking step or reduce the soaking time; ideally, soak overnight for maximum custard absorption.
- Avoid overbaking as the pudding will continue to set as it cools; the center should remain slightly jiggly when taken out of the oven.
- Using brioche or challah will add sweetness and a tender crumb, but other sweet breads may work as well.
- Use chilled cream cheese for easier handling and better texture when mixing into the custard-soaked bread.
Keywords: chocolate bread pudding, cream cheese dessert, gooey bread pudding, brioche dessert, rich custard pudding, easy baked dessert
