TWD~Four Star Chocolate Bread Pudding & a bit of Playa del Carmen

21 Apr

IMG_06399.jpg Playa del Carmen was our Spring Break destination of choice. We are beginning to feel very much at home there.

IMG_06387.jpg No, this wasn’t it, we flew.   It would have taken way too long, but it was a nice way to get back and forth to the Paseo or to breakfast at La Cueva del Chango.   Absolutely, without a doubt, our favorite breakfast and lunch spot. Come to think of it, a great place to have dinner as well!  This trip, I got to have some of their fabulous Mole on my scrambled eggs one morning.  Oh My Gosh!!!  

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Of course this is most of what we spent our time doing…..and my daughter (the middle child) was joined by three of her closest friends.  Days of these IMG_069944.jpg and sunshine, books, salsa, guacamole…

IMG_03701.jpg  The trip photos courtesy of Corbin.    I hope you don’t mind that I am sharing his fun with you.  We will get to the baking, I promise.  The first born male child of 21 was the body guard,  for the four young ladies, along with Corbin.    It was pretty fun to watch them bond and enjoy their time together during break.

You know that question in the OSI on the Tuesdays with Dorie website?  The Day Off question?    Gloriously, I am having one of those days off.  The hubs is off in St. Louis for a weekend with his Tri-sport friends.  I am totally in the kitchen…. accompanied by, at the present, one of my favorite chick flicks.  A Nancy Meyers film, (a woman whose work I adore) Something’s Gotta Give.  Do you love it?  

 Dorie, you have provided a certain element of therapy for those who connect with the creative, organic practice of baking.  Dorie, do you know how many lives you have saved, or been the object of seriously funny stories posted  on TWD, how many temper tantrums you have thwarted or how many happy baking experiences you have facilitated???  Dorie…..are you reading?  he he  I hope so.   Oh and how about eating the finished product and sharing with those you love?   Okay now, I am not writing a romance novel, the bread pudding is coming.

   “Four Star Chocolate Bread Pudding,” this weeks recipe selection by Lauren of Upper East Side Chronicle.  It will be fun to see what she does with this simple concoction.  Check with her for the recipe.  She is an accomplished Pastry Chef whose blog I enjoy visiting to see her beautiful photos and her interpretation of Dorie’s  recipe from Baking From My Home to Yours.  Thank you Dorie for the suggestion of a fine little “bread sponge” such as challah or brioche.  A nearby grocer makes challah,  so for  convenience that was what I bought and toasted for the suggested 10ish minutes. Besides its absorption quality, the buttery sweet flavor was unique to any other bread.  I had a little over 3 ounces of 70% cocoa chocolate chopped up already and to that I added the balance of the bittersweet with 60% cocoa chocolate.  For a person who really likes an intense chocolate flavor, by all means add more.    I liked its simplicity and ease of assembly.  That’s bread pudding for you.  A nice comfort food.  

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The End!      {It really is delicious chilled!!!  Enjoy}

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30 Responses to “TWD~Four Star Chocolate Bread Pudding & a bit of Playa del Carmen”

  1. pamela 21. Apr, 2009 at 5:42 am #

    I love that picture with all of the flip flops!! Sounds like a wonderful break, and I’m glad you and your family enjoyed it. Nice job on the bread pudding!

  2. Sabrina 21. Apr, 2009 at 6:50 am #

    Great pics and trip!! Glad you had a good time!
    Your bread pudding looks great!

  3. Katie 21. Apr, 2009 at 7:11 am #

    Looks delicious!

  4. Steph 21. Apr, 2009 at 7:23 am #

    Amy Ruth!! I missed your posts! I’m glad you had a fun spring break.

  5. peggy 21. Apr, 2009 at 7:40 am #

    Amy I love love love flipflops. I have about five pair. And welcome back to TWD after your little vacation! Wasn’t the bread pudding delicious. And so easy to make. I forgot to dust mine with confectioner’s sugar though. It’s the little things in life, you know? :) Thanks for dropping by this morning!

  6. Clivia 21. Apr, 2009 at 7:56 am #

    I’m glad you enjoyed this as much as I did. Warm chocolate – nothing better!

  7. Cathy 21. Apr, 2009 at 7:58 am #

    Yay — you’re back! We missed you! Okay, considering where you were (aka paradise) YOU might not be so happy to be back! Wow, what a great trip, what fun family bonding, and what spectacular picture that Corbin took. Your bread pudding looks great too — so glad that you enjoyed it. I agree — simple, delicious, and a great comfort food!

  8. chocolatechic 21. Apr, 2009 at 8:32 am #

    What a gorgeous flip-flop picture.

    Glad you liked the pudding.

  9. Nancy (n.o.e.) 21. Apr, 2009 at 8:40 am #

    Pudding is comfort food, and this pudding was mighty comforting! I’ll bet it was great with challah. Your trip sounds perfect.
    Nancy

  10. Jennifer 21. Apr, 2009 at 1:19 pm #

    The beach and some warmth sounds so good! We are still wearing winter coats here in Central IL.

    I liked the bread pudding, too, and found it to be a great comfort food, and so easy!

  11. Leslie 21. Apr, 2009 at 1:33 pm #

    Welcome back! We missed you! Love your vacation photos and especially the homage to Dorie. I think I’ll try this again with brioche…I bet that would make it even more amazing!

  12. Karen 21. Apr, 2009 at 3:10 pm #

    Beautiful vacation photos! Glad this turned out well! :)

  13. Wendy 21. Apr, 2009 at 3:35 pm #

    What a fun vacation. I so need one right now. My parents are in Mexico right now. Your bread pudding looks fantastic. I’m glad it was a success for you.

  14. Caitlin 21. Apr, 2009 at 5:22 pm #

    Sounds like a wonderful vacation! And the day off, full of baking and chick flicks? Heaven! :)

  15. MaryBeth 21. Apr, 2009 at 6:57 pm #

    I love bread pudding, and in chocolate I must be in heaven. Please come by my blog and enter my new cookbook giveaway!

  16. Courtney 21. Apr, 2009 at 7:53 pm #

    HA! Beautiful photos of your vacation! I love your shout out to Dorie—re: temper tantrums. haha! We have temper tantrums?? Your bread pudding looks great too!

  17. Tracey 21. Apr, 2009 at 7:55 pm #

    Glad you enjoyed the bread pudding! It was a hit with me too! Looks like you had a lovely vacation – great photos.

  18. Anne 21. Apr, 2009 at 9:11 pm #

    Sorry Amy Ruth, it looks like I commented on the wrong post some how! Thanks for sharing the trip photos- I’m jealous!

  19. Megan 21. Apr, 2009 at 9:14 pm #

    Ok – I hate you – for the vacation, I mean :) . I am just jealous that you are in paradise and I’m not!

    Excellent bread pudding and definitely worth making again.

  20. Barbara 21. Apr, 2009 at 9:28 pm #

    Your photos make me want to rush back to Mexico — we had a lovely time there in February, plus, this morning it was sleeting in southern Wisconsin…ugh…

    Glad you had a great vacation and welcome back to TWD baking!

  21. vibi 21. Apr, 2009 at 10:43 pm #

    I’m glad you always learn something new when you visit, that’s absolutely my goal! lol

    I’m happy to learn you had fun on your break and am a tiny bit jealous for we still had snow 2 weeks ago! ARGH!

    But at least, I hate just as good of a bread pudding as yours! Great job on it, Amy Ruth!

  22. Margot 21. Apr, 2009 at 11:14 pm #

    Good to see you back! Wonderful vacation pictures, and nice that the vacation extended back home and you could enjoy it in you kitchen. Your bread pudding looks great.

  23. Teanna 22. Apr, 2009 at 10:43 am #

    Wow!!! It looks like you had a great trip! And to top it off with some delicious bread pudding!? There is nothing better than that!

  24. fit chick 22. Apr, 2009 at 12:06 pm #

    Hope you got a great tan!!! Beautiful pictures, wish I was there, LOL. Thanks for the “good luck”, much appreciated!

  25. Dragana 22. Apr, 2009 at 2:23 pm #

    You make me wish I had made the choc. bread pudding. I guess there’s still time! Your pictures are good and the vacation sounds heavenly. It’s interesting that your Spring Break is a whole month after ours!

  26. lauren 22. Apr, 2009 at 2:46 pm #

    Thanks for baking along with me and having you visit my site. Glad you enjoyed Mexico. How were the churrios?

  27. Margaret 22. Apr, 2009 at 3:13 pm #

    VACATION!!! I want one…..

    Love the presentation of the pudding.

  28. Amy 22. Apr, 2009 at 6:08 pm #

    I’ve been having mine warm, with chocolate sauce drizzled over the top. One of these days, I’ll have to try it room temperature or even cold from the refrigerator. Yours looks great!

  29. Mary 24. Apr, 2009 at 7:19 am #

    Thanks for sharing your vacation joy with us. And your gratitude toward Dorie! Glad you liked your pudding.

  30. Jacque 26. Apr, 2009 at 9:09 pm #

    Oooh, lucky you! We were in Playa del Carmen over Christmas, we loved it and can’t wait to go back. Your pictures certainly capture the essence of a beach vacation.

    Nice job on the bread pudding!

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