Chocolate And Pear Bread Pudding

• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 None pears, peeled, cored, sliced
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 6 None slices thick, stale white bread, torn into pieces
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 5 1/4 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
• None None Ice-cream or heavy cream, to serve

1. Preheat oven to moderately slow, 325u0b0F. Lightly grease a deep 6-cup ovenproof dish.
2. In a medium skillet, combine brown sugar and water. Heat on low 1-2 minutes, stirring, until sugar dissolves.
3. Add pear slices. Simmer, covered, 3-5 minutes until just tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring milk, cream and vanilla bean paste to a boil on low. Remove from heat. Set aside, covered, 5 minutes.
5. Layer bread and pear in prepared dish. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Gradually whisk in warm cream mixture.
6. Pour egg mixture carefully over bread and pear. Sprinkle with chocolate. Place dish in a large roasting pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish.
7. Bake 50-55 minutes until just set. Serve pudding with ice-cream or cream, if desired.

brown sugar, water, milk, heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, bread, eggs, sugar, chocolate, cream

Taken from recipes-plus.com/api/v2.0/recipes/25781 (may not work)