White Chocolate Bread Pudding

(From the kitchen of Highland Lakes MOM, Michele Coco, courtesy of Purple Parrot Café, Hattiesburg, MS)

Bread Pudding:
5 oz white chocolate
4 egg yolks
1 egg
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup milk
¼ tsp salt
French bread as needed (crusts cut off, and cut into 1 inch cubes)

Melt white chocolate over a double boiler. In another double boiler over moderate heat, combine eggs, sugar, and vanilla, whipping cream, milk and salt. When blended and warm, add melted chocolate. Place bread in buttered custard cups or 9×13 pan and pour white chocolate mixture over. Allow mixture to settle and pour more over bread, pushing bread that floats to the top down with a spoon. There should be just enough pudding mixture halfway up the sides of the cups. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees (F) for 1 hour. Remove paper and cook an additional 15 minutes until the tops reach a light golden brown. Use a paring knife to remove bread pudding from custard cups and serve on individual plates topped with white chocolate sauce. White chocolate bread pudding can be held in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and reheated in the microwave until just warm. This recipe can also be made into a larger batch in a casserole dish instead of individual portions and scooped out with a spoon and placed into a bowl.

White Chocolate Sauce:
8 oz white chocolate
½ cup heavy whipping cream

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler, add heavy cream and blend thoroughly. This sauce will hold in the refrigerator and can be reheated in the microwave until just warm.