Mini Chocolate Chip Bread Puddings with Brown Sugar Sauce

Transform those leftover heels of bread into a good old fashioned bread pudding. This classic dessert is traditionally made with raisins but since raisins are not a favourite in this house I went with chocolate chips.

You can use any bread but the heels of our sliced bread usually get left behind, so I freeze them and give them a new life!

Ingredients:

2  1/2 cups cubed white bread (5 or 6 heels)
2 tbsps butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup 10% cream (coffee cream)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp each vanilla and almond extract (or 1 tsp vanilla)
2 eggs
6 tbsps chocolate chips (or raisins)
zest of 1 orange (optional)

Brown Sugar Sauce:

2 tbsps butter
2 tbsps flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

For the bread pudding: In a medium bowl melt butter, then add milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and almond extract (and zest if using). Whisk in the eggs.

Butter 6 muffins cups and divide the bread cubes evenly. Start putting some of the bread in each and scatter in some of the chocolate chips. Then fill with remaining cubes.

Ladle the liquid in slowly and top with the rest of the chocolate chips. If you try to pour the milk mixture to quickly it'll run all over your counter (Now how would I know that?!?)

Add more chocolate chips on top and let sit 5 minutes.

Then bake at 325 F for 25 - 30 minutes. Cool 20 minutes before removing from pan. In the meantime you can prepare the sauce.

Melt butter in a small saucepan and add flour, then brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Remove from heat.

Add the boiling water and return to heat and bring to a boil. Whisk until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Serve warm over individual bread puddings.

Makes 6