Name: Chocolate Miso Bread Pudding
Yield: Serves 8-10
Ingredients: 1 lb. (455 g) challah or brioche; 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, plus extra for greasing the pan; 9 oz. (255 g) bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped; 1 tsp. instant coffee or espresso; 3 oz. (85 g) dried tart cherries; 1½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream; ¼ cup (40 g) shiro or sweet white miso; 1½ cups (360 ml) whole milk; ¾ cup (150 g) sugar; 3 large eggs plus one yolk, lightly whisked; ¼ tsp. fine sea salt (optional)

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by M. Pearl Jones

This pudding has all my favorite things in one dish. Since this pudding is rich, I prefer to serve it by itself, warm and gooey, but I wouldn’t refuse a big scoop of vanilla or green cardamom ice cream on top. If your local bakery makes a challah or brioche topped with poppy or sesame seeds, go for it. I love the extra crunchy texture the seeds add to the pudding. Note that it’s best to start a day ahead so the bread can really soak up the liquid.

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 lb. (455 g) challah or brioche

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, plus extra for greasing the pan

9 oz. (255 g) bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped

1 tsp. instant coffee or espresso

3 oz. (85 g) dried tart cherries

1½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream

¼ cup (40 g) shiro or sweet white miso

1½ cups (360 ml) whole milk

¾ cup (150 g) sugar

3 large eggs plus one yolk, lightly whisked

¼ tsp. fine sea salt (optional)

Preparation

Step 1
If your bread is not stale, preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Set a wire rack on a baking sheet. Cut the bread into 1 in (2.5 cm) cubes and arrange them on the rack. Dry the bread cubes in the oven until completely dry, 45 minutes to 1 hour. You can also dry the bread cubes overnight, on your kitchen counter at room temperature.
Step 2
Butter a 9 by 12 by 2 in (23 by 30.5 by 5 cm) rectangular baking pan. Add the bread cubes.
Step 3
Chop the chocolate and transfer half to a large mixing bowl with the instant coffee. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate and the cherries over the bread in the baking pan and fold in. Avoid leaving the bits of chocolate and cherries on top; they might burn during baking.
Step 4
Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When the cream just starts to bubble, pour it over the chocolate in the large mixing bowl. Whisk until the chocolate mixture is completely melted and smooth. Transfer ½ cup (120 ml) of the chocolate mixture to a small mixing bowl. Add the miso and whisk until completely smooth, with no lumps. Pour the miso mixture into the large bowl with the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, and salt until smooth. Pour the liquid over the bread cubes in the baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 1 hour, or preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.
Step 5
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Unwrap the baking pan and discard the plastic wrap. Dot the surface of the pudding with the butter, then bake until the top is crisp and the pudding is firm, about 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.
The Flavor Approach
Step 6
Chocolate’s flavor is enhanced by the addition of coffee. You can introduce deeper smokier notes depending on the type of chocolate and coffee used and the quality of the roast (both the coffee and chocolate beans are roasted).
Step 7
Miso gives this dish a boost of salty and sweet notes. You don’t need to add salt, because miso contains salt.
Step 8
Tart cherries give a welcome spot of sourness to this sweet dessert.

Cover of The Flavor Equation featuring slices of lime

Reprinted with permission from The Flavor Equation: The Science of Great Cooking Explained in More Than 100 Essential Recipes by Nik Sharma, copyright © 2020. Published by Chronicle Books. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.