Dark Chocolate-Ginger Bread Pudding with Crushed Pepper-Clove Cream

The Wife LOVES bread pudding, and yesterday, she decided to make it in a new and strange way. Ghiardhelli chocolate and Dutch process cocoa powder + candied ginger and ginger powder = a whole lot of flavor. She kept the rum and the (golden) raisins. It boasts the mark of an excellent dessert: all gone in less than 24 hours.

The spiced cream (we used Oikos fat-free Greek yogurt with honey) was enlivened by the weird addition of crushed pepper and clove since we were out of her first choice, cayenne. I'll see if I can't get her to give us the recipe.

Here it is!

One loaf of crusty bread, ripped into small pieces

3 eggs

1 cup milk or cream

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tbsp. rum

1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

3 squares melted chocolate and 2 tbsp. butter (cooled)

1/2 tbsp. ginger powder

2 pieces candied ginger, chopped

Whisk wet ingredients and cocoa powder together. Add chocolate and butter mixture and gingers. Pour over the bread and mix until coated. Pour this into a buttered pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

For the cream:

1 container of Oikos Greek yogurt with honey

1 tbsp. raw sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

crushed pepper

1/2 tsp. clove

Mix and use to top the bread pudding.