Chocolate-Irish Bread Pudding With Guinness Stout Ice Cream

Cut half of the bread in cubes. Process the remaining half in a food processor. Place bread cubes and crumbs in a bowl and cover with melted butter, toss and set aside.

Place cream in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl and set on top of the cream and let it act as a double-boiler to melt the chocolate.

In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar until pale and thick. When the cream comes to a boil pour it over the chocolate whisking quickly. Then temper the chocolate-cream mixture into the egg mixture. Mix in the raisins.

Pour this mixture over the bread, mix well, and let it soak overnight or at least 2 hours. There should be a sense of moistness. If the mixture looks dry add another 1/2 cup of heavy cream.

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.

Butter a 9 inch cake pan. Pour mixture into pan. Place in a hotel pan and fill 3/4 up the sides of cake pan with cold water.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 1/2 hour. Turn pan, reduce heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 1/2 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry.

Top with Guinness Stout Ice Cream.

GUINNESS STOUT ICE CREAM: First, if the bowl of your ice cream maker has to be frozen, make sure you do so.

In a sauce pan bring the pint of Guinness to a boil and let it reduce to about half to concentrate the flavor. Whip the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick.

In another sauce pan bring the milk and cream to a boil. Pour the boiling milk mixture over the yolks and whisk continuously. Return to sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens just enough to coat a spatula. Do not allow the mixture to boil.

Pass though a fine chinois strainer or 2 layers of cheesecloth. Cover loosely and quickly place in an ice bath. Whisk in the Guinness Stout reduction. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufactures instructions.