I found this in Better Homes & Gardens and thought it would be worth trying for a holiday brunch. Hello, Easter! I changed it up a bit by adding sliced strawberries before baking. Seemed like a good idea, and I'm happy.
Chocolate Almond Croissant Bread Pudding
3/4 c. almond flour
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter melted
2 T. flour
7 eggs
3 c. half and half
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract
1/4 t. salt
6 croissants, torn into bite-sized pieces (about 8 cups)
1 c. semisweet chocolate chunks (I think dark would be really good, too)
optional: 1 c. or so sliced strawberries
Stir together the almond flour, sugar, butter, flour, and 1 egg.
For the custard, beat together the remaining 6 eggs. Stir in the half and half, brown sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt.
Spray a 2 - 3 qt. baking dish with non stick spray. Add croissant pieces to the dish Add the strawberries if you choose to use them. Pour the custard mix over the top, jiggling the baking dish a bit to distribute it. Sprinkle with the chocolate chunks.
Evenly spoon mounds of the almond mixture over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and the custard is set, about 40 minutes for the 3-quart, 50 minutes for the 2-quart dish.
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c = cup
t = teaspoon
T = tablespoon
