Chocolate Bread Pudding with Poached Plums

I really enjoyed the sweet spicy tart flavour of the plums along with the rich chocolate bread pudding, just something I put together earlier today. I ADORE regular bread pudding and never thought of making it chocolate but this is definitely a new favourite of mine.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Stale bread (just tear it apart in bite sized pieces - I like it chunky)

Eggs (2 or so)

Dark chocolate, coarsley chopped to help it melt quickly.

Milk (I used some regular and evaporated since I ran out of regular milk)
Sugar

Vanilla

Oil or butter

Heat the milk until warmish and pour over the chocolate whisking to melt it.

Add the sugar, vanilla, oil or butter and whisk in the eggs. Pour over the bread.

Set aside for 30 mins.

Bake at 275 for 20-35 mins (keep an eye on it)

Sever warm or cool.

Poached Plums

-Peeled ripe plums (to peel mark an X on the bottom with a paring knife then drop the plums in boiling water. Remove and peel, if the peel does not come off easily run under cold water for a second)

Slice and remove pits, set aside (or in fridge for the following day)

Water

Sugar

Chinese five spice

Cinnamon stick

If you're not using five spice then add star anise and anything else you like to flavour the syrup.

Bring mixture to a boil and poach the pears gently until they are sweet (plums are sour so taste as you go along)

When they are ready remove plums and reduce syrup.


The leftover plum syrup is great over ice cream or for drinks, so save it! :)

Hope you enjoy!

Spiced plum syrup

A good plum is just as good as a good peach, unfortunately don't think I can say I've tasted one in the past few years. Somehow the plums never seem to ripen properly.. Today I had some on hand so I made a delicious spiced syrup that can be used in a drink, bubble tea, tea, on pancakes, on a cake, ice cream... endless possibilities.

Spiced plum syrup:

-Chopped plums (pits removed, leave the skins on as they add to the flavour and color but just a coarse chop is fine since it will cook down and we'll strain it)
-Sugar

-Star anise

-Cinnamon stick

Put it all in a small pot with some water and cook until it's fragrant and all the flesh cooks into a thin jam type consistency. Strain it through a sieve and reserve the syrup.

Above I'm brewed a peach blossom infused green tea and mixed it with a little of the plum syrup, it was very fruity and a perfect fall drink.

I've also used the same mixture and poured it over some coconut passion fruit jellies in a large cup and added ice to that creating a delicious asian "bubble tea" style drink. The anise/licorice spice flavours were there in a sophisticated twist on the yummy asian favourite. Try it with tapioca pearls too, I'm sure it would work beautifully!