Denise says:

Whatever you have for a starter or main course, you must leave room for this chocolate cholah pudding. This is a chocoholic’s dream! The layers of crispy chollah are wedged between beautiful chocolate custard. It is straight forward to make and never fails to impress. For a special adults treat, you could add a little alcohol to the custard like Sabra or Tia Maria as a special adults treat. It is always well received which means there is only a little is left for breakfast the next day! Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 2 hours to soak Cooking Time: 45 minutes Serves: 8 people

Ingredients:

600ml milk or soya milk 150g plain dark chocolate 2 teaspoons vanilla essence 1 tablespoon cocoa powder mixed with 2 tablespoons of hot water 100g sugar 8 slices of chollah – medium thickness 5 eggs 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or non dairy margarine Topping 3 tablespoons apricot jam Garnish 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and icing sugar mixed together

Method

1)Put the milk, chocolate, vanilla essence and cocoa powder paste in a saucepan. 2)Heat gently until the mixture is smooth, stirring from time to time. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. 3)Whisk the eggs with the sugar until thick and then stir into the chocolate mixture. 4)Spoon about 1 cm/ ½ inch layer on the base of an oven ware dish measuring approximately 24 cm/ 9 ½ inches x 34 cm/ 13 inches. 5)Butter the chollah on one side only. Cut into triangles and place half of the bread triangles or small slices of bread in overlapping rows, butter side down on top of the chocolate mixture. 6)Pour the remaining chocolate mixture over the bread as evenly as possible. Arrange the remaining chollah triangles over that. 7)Leave for about 2 hours or over night for the chocolate to soak into the chollah. 8)Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas mark 4. 9)Place the oven ware dish into a slighter larger roasting tin. Pour boiling water around the sides being careful not to get any water onto the pudding. 10)Bake for 40 minutes or until set. 11)Put the apricot jam and water into a small glass dish. Cover with cling film and melt in the microwave for 1 minute. (This is very hot so be careful). Using a pastry brush glaze the top with apricot jam. Return to the oven for a final 5 minutes for a crispy topping. Garnish: Sprinkle with cocoa powder and icing sugar.