Dark Chocolate-Pecan Bread Pudding

I'm so sorry for the lack of posts...I know, I'm a slacker :(. In my semi-defense, I've been home alone most of the last few weeks - which deprives me of my favorite foodie victims audience. Other than a new found fascination with BLT's (seriously, universe, why have you been holding out on me all these years and denying me the deliciousness that is the BLT ? Oh, yeah, it's because I don't like tomatoes and lettuce on sandwiches), I've barely been cooking.

Also, I don't want you to think that all we eat around here is bread pudding. I know I talk about it a lot...again, not really my fault...it's that damn bread fairy. What else can I do when inundated with loaf after loaf of delicious artisan bakery bread...for free ? . There's too much Scots and Yankee frugality in me to let all that delicious bread go to waste. Good thing none of us have problems with gluten.

Basically, this is just a variation of the Blueberry-White Chocolate Bread Pudding that I make all the damn time (and everyone still seems to love). I do this all the time, and you should too - adapt for what you have around, or just what you like. Trust yourself !

Dark Chocolate-Pecan Bread Pudding

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 cups 1/2-inch cubes day-old bread
1 12 oz bag bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10 X 14-inch baking dish with the room-temperature butter.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the cream, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the bread, chocolate chips (reserve 2 tablespoons of the chips) and pecans and stir well. Pour into the prepared dish.

Bake until firm when pressed in the center, about 1 hour. About a minute before it comes out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on the top.

Cool on a wire rack until just warm, about 20 minutes.

Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (pictured with Talenti Tahitian Vanilla Bean Gelato...great stuff !!)