Chocolate Bread Pudding

• 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries
• 1/3 cup brandy
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus extra for serving
• 4 eggs and 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (10 oz.) loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Whipped cream, optional

1. Preheat oven to 325u0b0F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook cherries and brandy until simmering; remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, bring cream, milk, 1/2 cup sugar and salt to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate to melt.
3. Whisk eggs, yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Whisk in 1/3 chocolate mixture slowly and then remaining mixture and vanilla to finish custard.
4. Layer baking dish as follows: 1/3 of brioche, 1/2 cherries, another 1/3 brioche, remaining cherries (and brandy) and remaining brioche. Pour custard on top to soak brioche.
5. Place bread pudding dish in a larger dish or pan and pour enough hot water into larger pan to come 2/3 up sides of pudding dish. Bake until just set and center jiggles slightly, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Let cool.
6. Spoon pudding into dishes. Top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.

cherries, brandy, heavy cream, milk, sugar, salt, bittersweet chocolate, eggs, vanilla, bread, cream

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-bread-pudding-1 (may not work)