Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

Next creation on the list for this weekend is Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding with Bourbon Ice Cream sauce. Saw Michael Chiarello do this on a recent episode and it looked fantastic. Don't care for raisins in bread pudding, so I'm using walnuts. Could be my signature dessert for the 2008 comp season. Last year it was dump cake.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_33234,00.html

Anyone ever done this dessert? He has a cake donut bread pudding recipe, too. Haven't seen that episode.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31697,00.html

Turned out awesome.

1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
12 croissants
4 oz chopped walnuts
4 oz bittersweet or dark chocolate, roughly chopped small

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine butter and sugar process until well blended. Add cinnamon, and vanilla, and pulse to combine.

While the processor is running crack 5 eggs into the mixture. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides. Add the heavy cream and pulse to combine.

Lightly butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Break up the croissants into 1-inch pieces and layer in the pan. Scatter the walnuts and shaved bittersweet chocolate over the top, and gently mix to incorporate. Pour the egg mixture over the croissants; soak for 8 to 10 minutes. You will need to push croissants pieces down during this time to ensure even coverage by egg mixture.

Cover with foil and bake for 35minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes to brown the top. The croissant bread pudding is done when the custard is set, but still soft. Allow to cool.

For the bourbon sauce, allow a pint of ice cream to melt until fully liquid. Add a couple shots of premium bourbon whiskey or to taste.