Portuguese Sweet Bread Pudding with Cream Cheese and Chocolate Chips Recipe

Portuguese Sweet Bread Pudding with Cream Cheese and Chocolate Chips

Dessert

Portuguese sweet bread is naturally fluffy, soaking up cream to make the ultimate bread pudding. We use eggs from Baffoni’s, Rhody Fresh cream and Narragansett Creamery Angelito cream cheese with delicious results. This decadent and comforting treat is perfect for sharing on chilly winter evenings.

December 01, 2012

Ingredients

1 loaf day-old Portuguese sweet bread
1½ cups good-quality milk chocolate chips
2 large eggs
3 cups heavy cream
¾ cup sugar
2 cups (16 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Powdered sugar (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Slice sweet bread into 1-inch cubes. Combine sweet bread and chocolate chips in a large bowl. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, cream cheese and cinnamon until the mixture achieves a smooth consistency, about 2 minutes. Pour the mixture over the bread and toss lightly to distribute. Spread the mixture evenly in a greased 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Do not press down. Bake uncovered for 45–60 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Let cool to room temperature before serving. Slice into 3- inch squares for serving. Garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy! Serves 12 as a dessert.

WINE PAIRING:
FRV100 Jean-Paul Brun, Domaine des Terres Dorées, France. A delightful bubbly Gamay from Beaujolais. With a touch of sweetness, it’s an elegant dessert wine with a light strawberry note on the palate and a super-clean finish, ide- ally suited for chocolate.
—Maria Chiancola, Newport Wine Cellar, Newport

Recipe by Chef Kevin Thiele, One Bellevue Restaurant at The Hotel Viking, Newport