Flaky croissants are smothered in a sweet egg custard and baked to perfection with melty pockets of chocolate in this double chocolate croissant bread pudding.
Beat eggs with a mixer, blender, beater or whisk until they are light, frothy and evenly colored.
Next, add milk, sugar, and vanilla essence. Mix well and set aside.
Chop the croissants to bite-sized pieces .
In an oven-safe bowl, add melted butter along with chopped croissants. Mix well till the croissants are evenly coated with butter.
Add two tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips and mix.
Pour the egg-milk mixture over the croissants. Mix them using a spatula till all the croissants are evenly coated.
Optional step - Cover and let the croissants soak in the mixture for about 15 minutes. I usually don't and it works out fine.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes clean.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips and broil on low for a minute to crisp the top.
Serve warm with a side of freshly cut strawberries and blueberries. You could also drizzle melted chocolate over it before serving.
Notes
This recipe yields a pudding that is crunchy on the top and moist on the inside. If you prefer it to be completely moist, use 4 eggs and about 1.5 cups of milk. You'll have to increase the baking time to 40-45 minutes so that all the egg custard is absorbed. Recipe notes
To prep for this recipe in advance - Mix the croissants with the egg custard and refrigerate them until you are ready to bake.
Whisk till the egg whites and yolk are completely combined before adding milk.
I have used the large croissants from Costco for the recipe. If you are using the smaller ones from the grocery store, you'll need at least 12-14 croissants.
Instant Pot version - I have tried this recipe in the Instant Pot but did not like the texture. If you want to give it a shot, you'll need a pan that fits inside the Instant Pot. I use this spring-form pan.
Follow instructions from 1-6 above.
Add a cup of water to the inner pot.
Place a trivet in the Instant Pot and place the bowl on top. Cover the pan with foil.