Croissant Bread Pudding with Mexican Chocolate and Almonds

• Butter, for the pan
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 4 to 6 croissants, enough to fill a 9-inch pie plate, split in half as for a sandwich
• Mexican chocolate (recipe follows)
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Butter a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
3. Combine the eggs, half-and-half, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
4. Whisk to combine.
5. Press the sliced croissants into the egg mixture and soak for 3 minutes, turning once or twice.
6. They should absorb the egg mixture but not to the point of falling apart.
7. Fit the bottom half of each croissant into the buttered pie plate, sliced side down.
8. Sprinkle 1 cup of the Mexican chocolate over the croissants and then 1/2 cup of the almonds.
9. Layer the remaining halves of the croissants, sliced side down again, on top.
10. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Mexican chocolate and the remaining 1/2 cup almonds over the top.
11. Bake the bread pudding until puffy and dry on top but still moist inside, 45 to 60 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before cutting and serving.
13. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
14. Combine the chocolate chips, sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
15. Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.

butter, eggs, brown sugar, croissants, chocolate, almonds, chocolate chips, sugar, ground cinnamon

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/croissant-bread-pudding-with-mexican-chocolate-and-almonds (may not work)