Place Taza Chocolate and half & half in a medium saucepan and heat on medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350°. Generously butter a 2-quart soufflé dish and set aside.

In a large bowl toss bread cubes with chopped 70% chocolate and then spoon into the soufflé dish.

In a medium size bowl whisk together eggs, yolk, both sugars, vanilla and salt.

Gently whisk hot chocolate into egg mixture a little at a time, until all the liquid is incorporated.

Ladle custard over bread cubes. Let stand 15 minutes, pressing down on the bread with a spatula every 5 minutes or so.

Chop reserved tablespoon chocolate as finely as possible and mix with reserved tablespoon of white sugar and brown sugar. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the pudding.

Place soufflé dish in a roasting pan and place in the oven. Fill pan with enough hot water to reach halfway up the side of the roasting pan.

Bake pudding in the water bath for 60 minutes or until a clean knife inserted in the center of the dish comes out clean.

Serve pudding warm with your favorite vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

WINE PAIRING: Jonathan Edwards Napa Valley Dark, North Stonington, Connecticut. For something as beautifully decadent as chocolate bread pudding, we immediately thought of this Port-style wine made from Petite Sirah, fortified with barrel-aged brandy. The result is rich yet balanced with notes of hazelnut, mocha, plum and black raspberry. While full bodied, its flavors and acidity dovetail well with the dish and will not overpower. The acidity will balance nicely with the dish’s richness.

—Jessica Norris Granatiero, The Savory Grape, East Greenwich