White Chocolate Bread Pudding

6 C. heavy whipping cream

2 C. milk

1 C. sugar

20 oz. white chocolate, broken into small pieces

4 eggs

15 egg yolks

1 (24-inch) loaf stale French bread or fresh French bread that has been sliced and dried in a 275°F. oven

White Chocolate Ganache:

1/2 C. heavy whipping cream

8 oz. white chocolate, broken into small pieces

Garnish:

1 oz. dark chocolate, shaved or grated

For the pudding, combine the whipping cream, milk and sugar in a large heavy saucepot and mix well. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat. Add the white chocolate pieces and let stand for several minutes or until the chocolate melts; stir until smooth.

Whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the warm chocolate mixture in a slow steady stream; scrape the saucepot with a rubber spatula to remove all the chocolate.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the French bread into thin slices and place in a 9 x 12-inch metal baking pan. Pour half the chocolate mixture over the bread and let stand for about 5 minutes. Press the bread into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula or fingers to saturate well. Pour the remaining chocolate mixture over the bread and stir to mix well.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for 30 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool to room temperature and chill, covered, in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours or until set.

For the ganache, bring the whipping cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the white chocolate pieces. Let stand until the chocolate melts and stir until smooth.

Loosen the pudding from the sides of the pan with a knife and invert onto a work surface. Cut into squares, then cut the squares diagonally into triangles. Place the triangles on a baking sheet and reheat at 275°F. for 15 minutes or until warm.

To serve, place the pudding triangles on serving plates and top with the ganache. Garnish with dark chocolate shavings.

Serves 12.