Black Forest Panettone Pudding

Name: Black Forest Panettone Pudding
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 10 servings.
Ingredients: 3 large eggs; 1-1/2 cups half-and-half cream; 1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract; 6 cups cubed panettone bread (2-inch cubes, about 12 ounces); 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips; 1 cup sliced fresh or frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, thawed; 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted; VANILLA BUTTER SAUCE:; 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 1 cup vanilla bean ice cream

My chocolate-cherry bread pudding uses Panettone, the holiday bread people often receive but aren't sure how to use. I make a glorious sauce for it using ice cream. —Devon Delaney, Westport, Connecticut

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1-1/2 cups half-and-half cream
1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
6 cups cubed panettone bread (2-inch cubes, about 12 ounces)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sliced fresh or frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, thawed
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
VANILLA BUTTER SAUCE:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup vanilla bean ice cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together eggs, cream and extract. Add panettone cubes; soak 3 minutes, turning to coat. Meanwhile, pulse chocolate chips in a food processor until finely ground.
In a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate, layer half of each of the following: cubed panettone, ground chocolate, cherries and almonds. Repeat layers. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, for sauce, melt butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk in brown sugar until sauce resembles caramel. Stir in ice cream; simmer over low heat until it coats a spoon, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool completely. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve with bread pudding.

Editor’s Note: Panettone can be found in stores mostly during the holiday season and online during the rest of the year.

Editor's Note

To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece with 2 tablespoons sauce: 420 calories, 25g fat (12g saturated fat), 108mg cholesterol, 106mg sodium, 42g carbohydrate (32g sugars, 3g fiber), 8g protein.

Originally published as Black Forest Panettone Pudding in Taste of Home December 2016