Battle of the Bread Puddings! Recipes and Comparisons of Classic, Italian and Sweet Wheat Chocolate Bread Puddings

Last month we had a "Battle of the Bread Puddings." I have two family recipes one classic and one Italian. I had never made either before, heck I'd never made or even tried bread pudding before. Crazy, I know. I've heard over and over how delicious and comforting bread pudding is, but it just never sounded appealing to me. Really? Soggy bread? But, I had these two family recipes and when a recipe is carefully passed down, it has to be good right? So enlisting the help of my husband and three year old son we went about the excruciating task of taste testing these.

I made the classic bread pudding first. I gathered the ingredients and followed the recipe carefully, even making sure the bread cubes were just the right dryness. It was surprisingly easy! Out of the oven it smelled amazing I could barely wait for it to cool slightly. I dished it out, quickly snapped my picture for this hub, then drizzled it with caramel sauce.... mmmm amazing ^_^ Both my husband and I were over the moon about this new yet old dessert. I felt like kicking myself for not making it sooner. My son? He cleaned his plate.

Right after making the classic version I came up with my own variation. Sweet Wheat Chocolate Bread Pudding. Unfortunately I didn't have the ingredients on hand so it would have to wait until after the Italian version.

The Italian bread pudding is very different in ingredients and preparation. It has a layer of apples on the bottom and plenty of orange zest. Both give this version a much fresher, lighter taste. Bump up the spices a little and it's like an interesting version of apple pie. My husband's not one for fruity desserts but still enjoyed it. I love fruity desserts and enjoyed this version very much. My son... said he liked it, but didn't want to finish.

Final surprise contestant: Sweet Wheat Chocolate Bread Pudding. This one smelled amazing! It looks much richer than it really is. The chocolate isn't overpowering and it was just sweet enough to make you forget your eating healthy whole grain bread. Drizzled with caramel sauce and sprinkled with pecans made this version a true contender! We all loved it and my son wanted seconds.

Look through the recipes yourself and find our results at the end of this hub.

Make sure your bread cubes are dry! You can either leave them in a paper bag on the counter for a couple days, or bake them on a cookie sheet in a 300'F oven for 10-15 minutes stirring once or twice.

Orange zest contains a unique flavonoid called hesperidin. Not only does hesperidin lower cholesterol it is a natural anti-inflammitroy which has shown some promise in fighting certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer.

Before squeezing out the orange juice remember to remove your zest first!

• 2 small or 1 large eating apple
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 loaf stale Italian or French bread
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups light cream
• zest of one orange
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole pan.
2. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples, arrange into prepared pan.
3. Sprinkle apples with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and then drizzle the with the fresh orange juice.
4. Thinly slice the bread and remove the crusts.
5. Arrange in pan and press down to slightly compact. Only put as many slices as will fit in the pan, they should just reach the top.
6. In a medium bowl beat the eggs then combine with the milk, remaining sugar, zest and cinnamon.
7. Pour milk mixture over bread. Let sit for 30 minutes, now would be a good time to preheat your oven to 350'F
8. Once the bread has sat for 30 minutes bake in a 350'F oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Dark chocolate contains antioxidants called flavonoids. These work to repair damage done to your cells while protecting them from further damage and the buildup of bad cholesterol.

• 4 cups "sweet dark" wheat bread cubes, about 6 slices
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Hershey's syrup
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350'F. Lightly grease a 1 1/2-2 qt casserole pan.
2. In a medium to large bowl combine the bread cubes with the chocolate chips, set aside.
3. In a medium bowl beat the eggs then add the remaining ingredients.
4. Pour the milk-egg mixture over the bread cubes and stir just until combined.
5. Pour into prepared pan and bake in a 350'F oven for 55 minutes, or until it's puffed up slightly and a knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
6. Serve warm plain, or topped with caramel sauce and chopped nuts or more hershey's syrup.

Did you enjoy this fierce competition? Want more? Check out this bloodthirsty hub by Vespawoolf!

Chicken and Dumplings: A Gluten vs. Gluten-Free Throwdown

Chicken & dumplings are the ultimate comfort food. But is it possible to enjoy them on a gluten-free diet? Learn how to make gluten-free chicken & dumplings and whether or not they measure up to the traditional style.

While we thoroughly enjoyed all three recipes and would make them all again there has to be a winner. My husband and I both ranked these 1-3 and ranked them for our son based on how he seemed to like them. First place spots receive 3 points, second place 2 points and 3rd place 1 point.

My husband- 1st: Classic, 2nd: Sweet Wheat, 3rd: Italian

Myself- 1st: Classic, 2nd: Italian, 3rd: Sweet Wheat

My Son (3 years)- 1st: Sweet Wheat, 2nd: Classic, 3rd: Italian

And the winner is....

First place goes to Classic with 8 points

Second place goes to Sweet Wheat with 5 points

Third place goes to Italian with 4 points