Cupcakes are my passion, chocolate is my addiction

Wednesday, 30 November 2011 00:00

With the Thanksgiving holiday behind us, our thoughts of cookie baking and planning the upcoming holiday meals are shouting at us all. Judy is completely exhausted from hosting Thanksgiving, but likes to bake the traditional holiday cookies.

But, as you all know by now, cupcakes are my passion and chocolate is my addiction. When Judy and I host a party or a dinner, our guests say that we intoxicate them with desserts.

There is  something about that little moist cake that draws me right in. I think it’s the serving size also, its just enough. It is easy to eat with  its colorful wrapping and then the crown jewel of the swirled rich icing. I find myself always trying to put my favorite flavors or desserts into a cupcake shape ... and I just did it again!

I have been thinking about my grandmother’s, decedent chocolate bread pudding. The flavor is rich and chocolaty and completely satisfying. Nana always made bread pudding in many different flavors,  but more so at holiday time, which brings me to this memory: With the leftover holiday fudge, she would  place chunks of fudge deep  into the bread pudding as soon as it came out of the oven, which resulted in gooey pockets of smooth chocolate in every scoop.

I place my bread pudding in a fabulous cupcake paper. I will serve it warm, and right before I do, I place a thick chunk of fudge on the top. As it melts, it spreads over the  top of the breadcake just like frosting.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

1 Challah bread cut into 1 inch cubes

1/4 cup Half & Half

3 cups milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup vanilla sugar*

1/4 cup cocoa powder

6 eggs, lightly beaten

Leftover Christmas fudge,

your favorite recipe

Preheat oven to 325º F. Butter a 13”x9” baking dish. Fill with bread cubes. In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk together milk, cream, coffee liqueur, chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add sugar and cocoa mixture to milk mixture and whisk to combine. Add eggs and whisk to combine.

Pour evenly over bread cubes, toss to coat and let sit for 20 minutes until bread has absorbed most of the liquid. Line a cupcake pan and cupcake liners. Spoon mixture into papers until filled.

Bake for 20-22 minutes until set. When out of oven, immediately place a piece of fudge on top of breadcake, or just a piece of chocolate will do. Serve with ice cream or fresh whipped cream. (Mixture can also be baked in a 9x13 baking dish for about 1 hour and scooped out to individual servings in a martini glass).

*Vanilla Sugar

(a TBT favorite)

Two cups granulated sugar and one to two vanilla beans split and pushed into sugar. Store in an airtight container and swirl for a few days to let the vanilla bean perfume the sugar.

Tune into Better Connecticut, channel 3, at 3 p.m., Monday, Dec. 19, as we show you step by step how to create this little gem. Check our “like” page on Facebook for all upcoming events. The holidays are here, so lets get baking. Visit us also at TwiceBakedTwins.com and share some recipes.

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