CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

1 large, slightly stale French baguette* 2 cups whole milk 3⁄4 cup cream (heavy or light) 4 eggs 8 oz. sweet dark chocolate, coarsely grated or chopped finely 2 tsp. vanilla extract 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar 2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp. cinnamon 2-3 Tbsp. butter (for greasing baking dish) Powdered sugar (for dusting) Fresh mint (optional) Fresh berries (optional)

*About a 16-by-4-inch loaf; you need between 8 and 12 cups of bread cubes. Amount varies depending on consistency of bread.

Serves 6 to 8, depending on portion size.

Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Set aside. Grate or finely chop chocolate; set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, cream and eggs. Add and whisk in the grated chocolate, vanilla, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder and cinnamon. Gradually stir in the bread cubes, making sure all pieces are well-coated. You want the mixture to stay a bit soupy; keep adding and stirring to coat pieces until all are covered and there’s still some liquid left. (Stop adding bread if you see that the mixture will get too dry—save the extra and make croutons!) Let sit for at least 30 minutes for the bread to absorb some of the liquid. Grease a medium-size baking dish and spread bread mixture into it. Bake at 350 degrees until the center is set and the edges are bubbly. Check after 30 minutes; if center isn’t set, bake another 5 to 10 minutes, but don’t dry it out! Best served warm, but let cool slightly before cutting pieces. Sift a bit of powdered sugar on top, and garnish with fresh mint and berries, if available. Or serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if available.