Chocolate Stout Bread Pudding

1. Trim round ends from the bread. Slice lengthwise, then slice again into  1½” to 2” pieces. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Place in a 300°F convection oven. Cook until the bread is dried and crunchy. Allow to cool.

2. Coat the inside of a 2” full stainless steel hotel with pan spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and place it in the pan. Spray the paper with pan spray. Spread the bread out evenly in the bottom of the pan.
 
3. Combine the stout, buttermilk and sugar in a nonstick saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add 1½ c. of chocolate chips. Whisk until the chocolate chips have melted and dissolved. Allow to cool completely so it will not cook the eggs. 

4. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a stainless steel mixing bowl. Whisk them into the cooled chocolate stout mixture. Pour this mixture over the top of the bread. Mix with a rubber spatula until the bread is coated with the mixture. The bread will be floating at this point. Cover tightly with film wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours to allow all of the liquid to be absorbed. 

5. Place the bread pudding pan on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Sprinkle 1 c. each of pecans and chocolate chips over the top of the pudding. Place in a 300°F convection oven, uncovered. Bake up to 60 minutes or until just cooked through. Allow to cool. 

6. Using a metal spatula, slice the pudding into 6 oz. squares. Cover tightly with film wrap and refrigerate until needed. 

To prepare à la carte:

1. Remove a 6 oz. piece of pudding from the pan. Slice the piece on a diagonal to form two triangles. 

2. Ladle a ½ oz. of anglaise sauce onto the plate. Place one of the bread pudding triangles on top of the sauce. Lean the second pudding triangle against the first triangle, with the long side pointing up.

3. Top with  2 tsp. of whipped cream.