4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups Lucerne half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons instant coffee
6 cups challah bread, crust removed and cubed into 1 inch pieces
chocolate syrup, for topping (see recipe below)
vanilla ice cream, for serving
For the Chocolate Syrup:
1 cup cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 cup water
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until well combined. Set aside. In a small saucepan, warm the half and half and vanilla over low heat for 15 minutes. After 10 minutes of warming the half and half, place the cocoa in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup of warm half and half. Whisk well until the cocoa powder is fully combined to the half and half. Add the cocoa slurry and the instant coffee to the half and half mixture. Stir well to combine. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Strain the cocoa half and half into a medium sized bowl. While whisking the egg and sugar mixture, add a spoonful of warm cocoa half and half. Continue to whisk to prevent scrambling of the eggs. Continue this process three more times until the custard is warmed. In a steady stream pour the remaining cocoa half and half into the custard, whisking continually. Stir well and set aside. Place the challah into a square baking pan. Pour the custard over the challah bread. Be sure that the tops of the bread are coated by the custard. Place in the oven and cook for 50 minutes, or until the custard is set. Remove the bread pudding. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup (see how-to, next). For the Chocolate Syrup: Place the sugar and water into a small saucepan, and make a simple syrup. Cook on low heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Combine the vanilla and salt into the simple syrup. Stir well. Place the cocoa powder into a large bowl. In three batches, whisk the simple syrup into the cocoa powder. Mix thoroughly. Strain the cocoa mixture back into the pan. Add corn syrup and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from the stovetop and bring to room temperature. Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge, up to three weeks.