I was asked recently at a family celebration to provide dessert for 24 people. I wanted to make something elegant, easy to make, and that could be prepared earlier in the day so I could enjoy the celebration. I remembered the wonderful reviews for my chocolate hazelnut bread pudding that we served at Café Paradiso in Denver, Co.
We baked them in individual 7-8 ounce ramekins in a water bath and served them warm surrounded by crème anglaise (vanilla custard sauce), toasted hazelnuts, fresh raspberries and fresh mint leaves.
Instead of individual puddings I made it in a large corning ware casserole dish with excellent results. Family members don’t mention much about the restaurant that we ate at that night, but I still keep hearing how wonderful the chocolate bread pudding was later on that evening.
Severson caters to private dinner parties and teaches private or group cooking lessons. He can be reached at philchef1@netzero.net or (612) 802-0616.

Ingredients
2.5 Cups Half and Half
3/4 Cup Hazelnuts
1.5 Cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
5 Large Eggs
1 Cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 Tsp. Nutmeg
1 Tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Frangelico or Brandy
5-Cups Day Old White Bread (crusts removed)
1-Pint Raspberries

Method
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Toast hazelnuts in stainless steel pan for 10 minutes, stir every 2 minutes. Place toasted hazelnuts between clean damp towels and roll back and forth until skins come off.
2. Coarsely chop nuts. Add cup to half and half and bring to a simmer. Let steep for 10 minutes away from heat. Place back on heat and wisk in chocolate chips until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat.
3. Mix sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and Frangelico in another bowl. Add the egg mixture a little at a time to the chocolate mixture until combined.
4. Add bread to chocolate custard and let sit for one hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Butter a 2-quart oval or round casserole dish. Pour mixture in prepared dish. Place dish inside a large baking pan. Pour boiling water in pan so that it comes up 2 inches around dish. Loosely cover with foil and bake 1 hour.
6. Custard should be set in the middle. Spoon warm custard on plates. Surround with either whip cream, vanilla ice cream, or my favorite, crème anglaise (custard sauce). Garnish with fresh raspberries and remaining hazelnuts.
Serves 12