Hazelnut and Chocolate Bread Pudding

Our friend Jared loves hazelnuts.  I personally would never have made anything with hazelnuts in it were it not for him.  It wasn't something I grew up eating, and not being a fan of liqueurs (therefore missing out on Frangelico) I was ignorant to its tastes and flavors until he mentioned how much he loved hazelnuts a few years back.  Since then, whenever we have him over for dinner, I try to include a hazelnut dessert.  Some previous sweets have included a hazelnut parfait on cinnamon shortbread; a hazelnut mousse cake; a hazelnut genoise with Frangelico buttercream; and a Frangelico Honey Panna Cotta.

It's actually kind of fun:  searching for, or creating, ingredient-specific dishes.  Like Jenn and bread pudding.  Now, bread pudding is another thing I didn't grow up eating.  Something about bread soaked in custard then baked just sounds...icky.  Happily, if it's made right, it's actually quite yummy and my first bread pudding foray was really enjoyable.

Before Jared left on his latest trip, Hubby and I had a chance to have him over for a belated New Year's Eve dinner together and I made this for dessert:  a hazelnut and white chocolate bread pudding.

Now here's the weirdo thing:  I clearly remember making this dish...but I don't remember how.  I swear.  It was as if I made this dessert in a vacuum.  I know it included hazelnut liqueur, a super rich creme anglaise, white chocolate, brioche that I had purchased from Star Provisions in Atlanta and fresh roasted hazelnuts, but that's about as far as I can remember.  Occasionally this happens.  I'll make a dish on the fly and I won't recall technique or ingredients.   Sometimes I can't remember how it tasted.  For four years I've been trying to duplicate a pasta and gorgonzola cream sauce recipe that a friend swears I made for her -- but I have no recollection of such a dish.  Does this happen to you?

And I promise you:  despite the New Year's festivities, my alcohol intake consisted of a few sips of champagne.  I'm temporarily teetotaling.  I do remember that the dessert was really moist and rich -- but I'm seriously flabbergasted that I wouldn't be able to replicate the dish if my life depended on it!

If anyone has a recipe that duplicates the ingredients, I'd love it if you'd share it with me!

Comments

[Freya]

I often find it hard to replicate recipes exactly, sometimes finding that I hit the jackpot first time and every other time am disappointed!
The pudding looks delicious! A real change from the traditional!

[Duane]

Looks tasty!

[Linda, The Village Vegetable]

bread pudding is my absolute fav and yet i've yet to make it myself! thanks for sharing the recipe!

[Cassie's Kitchen Recipes]

I love puddings and hazelnuts. This looks absolutely delicious.

[pritya]

Hi Heidi, I love Hazelnuts and the image looks appetizing! Bread Puddings is a family favourite and I would to try this one out more so because of the other ingredients.