Tom's Double Chocolate Bread Pudding

Sunny Anderson Tom Momchilov's a dessert genius.

Bread Pudding:
2 tablespoons butter
6 croissants, stale and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 loaf cinnamon raisin bread, stale and cut into 1-inch squares
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips6 cups milk
1 1/2 cups chocolate syrup, such as Hershey's
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 to 6 scrapes fresh nutmeg
6 eggs

Topping:
6 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Bourbon Whipped Cream, for serving, recipe follows

For the bread pudding: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the bottom and sides of the baking dish with the butter.

In a large bowl, add the croissant and bread chunks along with the chocolate chips sprinkled over the top. Toss gently and pour into the prepared dish making sure all the chocolate chips don't settle on the bottom.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, chocolate syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and eggs. Pour the chocolate custard over the bread in the baking dish and press the bread down into the custard to soak it up. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Then press down a bit again.

For the topping: In a medium bowl, toss the butter and with the flour to coat all sides of the butter. Then add the pecans, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Mix together with your hands to get the butter to blend into all the ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the baking dish.

Bake uncovered until the edges are golden brown and the center springs back a bit when touched, 45 to 50 minutes. Allow it to cool and settle for about 30 minutes and then make pretty squares, or just dig in right away. Serve with a dollop of Bourbon Whipped Cream. Can also be served cold.

Bourbon Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 tablespoon sugar

In a large bowl, whisk heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the bourbon and sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Refrigerate and serve cold. Yield: 2 cups.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/sunnys-double-chocolate-bread-pudding-with-bourbon-whipped-cream-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Photos from Saturday night ...

drinks for the first two courses ... Tammy's beverage was outstanding

Nobody will ever know who these people are!

Well, maybe they'll know one person ...

The star of the show

Much, Much Better Focaccia

I tried again, this time with inspiration from Cook's Illustrated. I should have known this was the way to go.

Dough
1 medium baking potato, peeled and quartered
1.5 t instant yeast
3.5 cups AP flower (17.5 ounces if you're into weighing)
1 cup warm water (110 degrees), divided
2 T olive oil, plus more for oiling bowl and pan
1.25 t kosher salt

Topping
2 T olive oil
2 T fresh rosemary leaves
coarse sea salt

Dough: Boil potato in water for about 25 minutes, or until done. Drain, let cool and pass potato through ricer or grate on large holes of a grater. You need 1.3 cups, lightly packed.

Meanwhile, mix the yeast, 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of warm (110º) water in large bowl of mixer until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 10 minutes, or until bubbly. Then add remaining dough ingredients, including the reserved potato. Attach the paddle and mix just until combined, then use the dough hook on it for 5 minutes at medium speed.

Transfer to lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an hour.

Then transfer to well oiled large sheet pan, using your fingers to spread it all out. Wet your hands, or cover them with oil, to make this easier. Cover with plastic wrap (the dough, not your fingers) and let rise for another hour.

Preheat oven to 425º and make sure rack is toward middle bottom of the oven – not exactly on the bottom, or the crust will burn. With two wet fingers, make dimples down the dough – think of it like a big football field, and you're marking out the yard lines every 10 yards or so ... Add the topping and bake for 25 minutes. Cool immediately on a wire rack, or the bottom crust will get soggy.

Just try not to eat it piping hot. Just try.