Chocolate panettone bread and butter pudding

Method

1. Melt the chocolate in the cream in a basin over boiling water. In a separate bowl beat together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture pales slightly. Pour the chocolate into the egg mixture and put it back over the pan of boiling water.

2. Lower the heat and stir continuously, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. If the mixture is cooked for too long or at too high a temperature, it will curdle, it is ready as soon as steam starts to rise from the surface.

3. Pour a little of the mixture into the oven dish, then add a layer of sliced panettone. Scatter in a few chocolate chips. Continue doing this until the dish is full, ensuring that the top layer absorbs enough of the custard to remain moist. Allow to sit for 1 hour or longer if you have time.

4. Place the dish in a roasting tin and add boiling water until the dish is half submerged. Bake at 150°C for about 20 minutes or until hot throughout. 

5. Cover the pudding with a generous layer of brown sugar and put under a hot grill until the sugar starts to bubble. Leave for a few minutes before serving to allow the sugar to set. Serve with clotted cream or softly whipped cream.