Chocolate-Cherry Strata

Categories: Puddings- Custard- Flan

Ingredients

• 8 medium slightly stale croissants, or challah or brioche, cut into cubes
• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dried cherries, plumped in orange juice for 30 minutes.
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/3 cup milk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions

1. Butter a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Arrange half the croissant pieces in the baking dish in one layer. Sprinkle half the chopped chocolate and all the cherries in one layer. Top with the remaining bread cubes.
2. Whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, 1/2 cup cream, vanilla and salt in a bowl until well blended. Pour evenly over bread cubes, soaking them. Cut the butter into bits and dot it over the top of the pudding. Cover with plastic wrap; set in the refrigerator for 1 hour to 8 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Bake pudding on the middle rack of oven until puffed and golden, about 40 minutes.
5. Set a small metal bowl or small saucepan of simmering water. Add the remaining chocolate and stir until nearly melted. Whisk in remaining cream and a pinch salt. Cover and keep warm until serving.

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