Trattoria Brown - Doughnut Bread Pudding w/ Chocolate and Berries

I can't think of a better way to use leftover doughnuts than bread pudding. When you add some chocolate and mixed berries, you've got one of the best desserts ever. And, thankfully, it's all super simple. (Note: this recipe is adapted from Michael Chiarello's doughnut bread pudding recipe.)

Bread pudding:

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

2 cups mixed berries

12 cake doughnuts

Rum sauce:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 pound confectioners’ sugar

Dark rum, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine butter and sugar briefly, just until it forms into a ball. Add eggs, heavy cream, cinnamon, and vanilla, and process until blended.

Lightly butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Break up the doughnuts into 1-inch pieces and layer in the pan. Scatter the chopped chocolate and mixed berries over the top. Pour the egg mixture over the doughnuts. Soak for 10 minutes. You will need to push doughnut pieces down during this time to ensure even coverage by egg mixture.

Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes to brown the top. The doughnut bread pudding is done when the custard is set, but still soft. Let stand for one hour to cool.

Make the rum sauce. Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan, and take off the heat. Add confectioners' sugar to the melted butter and whisk to blend. Add rum, to taste. Pour the sauce over the bread pudding and allow to soak in.

It'll come out looking like

Dish it up, pour over the rum sauce, and have at it.