For observant Jews, holiday and Shabbat meals are traditionally meat-based—think chicken soup and brisket. Those who observe kashrut are prohibited to eat or drink dairy after eating meat for anywhere from one to six hours, depending on your family’s tradition. That puts bakers in a particularly difficult bind when it comes to dessert: How to emulate the delicious taste and consistency of butter-based baking without using dairy?
Pareve Chocolate Bread Pudding
June 21, 2021
Ingredients
- 1large challah
- 3cups soy milk
- ¾cup sugar
- 1/8teaspoon salt
- 12ounces pareve chocolate chips
- 2large eggs plus 2 additional large egg yolks
- 1teaspoon vanilla
- Spray oil
Preparation
Pareve chocolate bread pudding, adapted from The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer
- Step 1
Cut a challah into 1/2-inch pieces and discard crusts. Cut the bread into cubes, making 6-7 cups. Bring 1 cup of the soy milk, the sugar, and the salt to a boil. Remove from heat, then add the chocolate chips. Let that stand for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and extra yolks, then add the 2 remaining cups of soy milk and the vanilla. Whisk in the chocolate mixture, then stir in the bread. Let that stand for 2 hours, pressing the bread down with a spatula so it absorbs the liquid.
- Step 3
Preheat oven to 325.
- Step 4
Use spray oil (the baking kind is best) to generously grease a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Pour the pudding mixture into the dish, and smooth the top. Bake in a water bath until the center feels firm when pressed, 55-65 minutes. Let cool for 45 minutes.
- Step 5
You can cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake in a water bath in a 300-degree oven until a knife inserted into the center for 2 seconds comes out warm (15-30 minutes).
The original recipe calls for heavy cream. I’ve substituted soy milk and made this a pareve recipe. You can use non-dairy creamer and it’ll still be pareve, but it won’t be free of trans fats.