I saw Throwdown a couple nights ago & Bobby Flay made this Coconut Chocolate Bread Pudding. It looked delicious! Throwdown's Chocolate-Coconut Bread Pudding with Passion Fruit Sauce Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay Prep Time: 1 hr 0 min Inactive Prep Time: 45 min Cook Time: 30 min Level: Intermediate Serves: 9 servings Ingredients Ganache: 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 1/4 cups heavy cream Bread Pudding: 17 ounces brioche (crust removed), cut into 1 1/2-inch dice 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3 cup heavy cream 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk 1 1/4 cups pure cane sugar 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (Valhrona Manjari 64 percent), finely chopped 4 whole large eggs 2 large egg yolks Chocolate Ganache 1 cup desiccated coconut Passion Fruit Sauce: 3/4 cup passion fruit juice 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 2 tablespoons white rum For the Anglaise: 1/2 vanilla bean 3/4 cup whole milk 1/2 cup coconut milk 4 large egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar For the Ganache: Directions In a small bowl place the chocolate. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat bring the cream to a simmer and then pour over the chocolate. Let the chocolate mixture sit for 30 seconds and then whisk until smooth, keep warm. For the Bread Pudding: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and add the diced brioche. Drizzle with the melted butter and toss to coat. Bake in the oven and lightly golden brown. Removing and tossing several times. This should be repeated for about 12 minutes. Once the bread has evenly browned, remove and let cool slightly. Meanwhile in a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the cream, coconut milk, sugar and vanilla bean and seeds in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add the chopped bittersweet chocolate and whisk until melted. Strain the mixture into a medium size bowl. In a separate medium bowl whisk together the eggs and yolks and slowly add the warm chocolate mixture, whisking as you add. Place half of the brioche cubes in a single layer in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Pour 1/2 of the custard mixture over the bread and half of the ganache. Sprinkle with half of the coconut. Press down on the bread, allowing the liquid to soak in. Place the remaining bread cubes over the top, add the remaining custard and ganache and again, press down to completely submerge the bread. Top with the remaining coconut, cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes before baking. While the bread is sitting continue to check and press down on the bread so that it is completely submerged with the custard mixture. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Uncover the bread pudding, and place the baking dish in a larger roasting pan. Fill the outer roasting pan with warm water until it comes halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake until the sides are slightly puffy and the center is slightly set (but still jiggles a bit). For the Passion Fruit Sauce: Into a small saucepan cut the passion fruit in half and scoop out centers (including the seeds). Add the sugar, orange juice and rum and let cook over high heat until sugar has dissolved and sauce has thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and chill in the refrigerator. For the anglaise: Split vanilla bean. In a small heavy saucepan bring milks and vanilla bean half just to a boil and remove pan from heat. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean halves into milk and reserve pod for another use. In a bowl whisk together yolks and sugar. Add milk in a stream, whisking, and transfer custard to saucepan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring, until thickened slightly and an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees F. Pour custard through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in a large bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring occasionally, until cold. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap. Remove the pan to a baking rack and let sit for 15 minutes. Spoon some of the coconut anglaise into a bowl and drizzle with the passion fruit sauce. Top with a large scoop of the bread pudding and serve. Printed from FoodNetwork.com on Fri Jan 16 2009 © 2009 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved Advertisement will not be printed /tricia

Janet, what a story and what a test of tact that must have been. Ann, I love shortbread. If anyone wants to start a fan club, I'm there. I didn't have time earlier to post it, but has anyone tried Regan Daley's Butter-Toffee Crunch Shortbread from "In the Sweet Kitchen"? It is the most incredibly rich brown sugar shortbread variation. I don't make it often; I have to be sure I have lots of recipients lined up first so I don't keep too much in the house. It's deadly to diets. BUTTER-TOFFEE CRUNCH SHORTBREAD Makes 50 3-inch fingers "Awfully impressive, and dead easy, this is just a good basic brown sugar Scottish shortbread recipe, enhanced with butterscotch and toffee bits. As with any shortbread, the quality and freshness of the butter and flour make all the difference in the flavour and texture. Use the best, and make sure they're fresh. This makes a large batch, perfect for giving, and the shortbread keeps very well in airtight tins. If desired, the recipe can be reduced by half." 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cup rice flour, or substitute cornstarch if rice flour is unavailable 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups (3/4 pound) fresh unsalted butter, at room temperature 6 tablespoons fruit sugar or superfine sugar 6 tablespoons tightly packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup miniature butterscotch chips 2/3 cups English toffee pieces for baking such as Skor Bits (available in the baking sections of most supermarkets) Additional unsalted butter for greasing pan Preheat the oven to 325° F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan. Line the bottom and up the two long sides with a piece of parchment paper. Leave about a 1-inch overhang over the sides to make removing the cooled shortbread easier. Sift the all-purpose and rice flour together with the salt and set aside. In the bowl of an electric or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, beat the butter until very smooth. Gradually add the sugars and cream the mixture until it is very light and fluffy. If using a mixer, transfer the creamed butter-sugar mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next. Use your fingers to knead the final portion of dry ingredients into the dough, keeping your palms off the dough as much as possible, so the warmth doesn't turn the butter oily. When the last of the flour is fully blended, add the butterscotch and toffee bits and knead them into the dough until they are evenly distributed. I should warn you at this point, that this dough now smells better than any cookie dough you have ever experienced. Restrain yourself; you will do yourself no favors devouring the entire mess at this point, and the baking doesn't take that long. Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan and use the back of a metal spoon to smooth the surface. Prick the dough all over with a fork and set the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the shortbread for about 45 minutes, then prick the dough again to release any trapped air. Return the pan to the oven for another 15 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown, and the center feels just firm to the touch. The shortbread will set to a very firm biscuit as it cooks, so it must be cut while it is still warm. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 7 to 8 minutes, then run a sharp paring knife around the outside of the dough to loosen the edges. Make two long cuts in the shortbread, dividing it evenly into three rectangles, each cut beginning and ending at a short side of the pan. Cutting from long side to long side, cut the rectangles into about ¾-inch wide fingers, wiping the knife on a clean towel between each cut, as it gets sticky and can pull and tear the cooling shortbread. Leave the fingers to cool completely in the pan, then re-cut and transfer them to airtight tins. This shortbread can be frozen before or after it is baked. Freeze the dough pressed into the prepared pan, well wrapped with plastic and aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, without disturbing the wrapping, and bake directly from the refrigerator. The baking time may have to be increased by a few minutes to compensate for the chilled dough. Freeze the cooled fingers in airtight bags or containers, layering between sheets of waxed or parchment paper and wrapping the whole tin or container with aluminum foil. Thaw the entire package, without removing the wrapping, at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours. I haven't previously frozen the dough, but I do intend to do that this year. Very handy for the holidays. Carol

We don't have a Dryer's brand in Mo..but we do have a Breyer's and I believe they are the ones that come out with the Samoa and Thin Mint ice creams here. Haven't seen them yet this year, but I will buy them when I find them. Delicious!!

These cookie bars are so easy to make and very delicious. You can't eat just one! 2 sticks butter 1 c. granulated sugar 1 c light brown sugar, firmly packed 2 large eggs, well beaten 2 c. self-rising flour 1 c. toasted pecans (I used walnuts) 2 tsp. pure vanilla Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt butter and add sugars. Blend well by hand (no mixer). Add beaten eggs, stir well. Add self-rising flour and stir until the lumps are gone, just until blended. Add pecans and vanilla. Turn out into a greased and floured 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread with your fingers or a spatula dipped in water. Bake approximately 40 to 50 minutes (ovens vary) being careful not to over bake. When cool, cut into squares. Note: You can dust these with powdered sugar while still warm. I have also added a pinch of cinnamon to the sugar. You can use pecans or walnuts, both or good. I have also thrown in a 1/2 cup simi-sweet chocolate chunks, however the cookies are delicious without the chocolate. I made these in the medium pan I melted the butter in. No need to dirty a bowl. Quick & easy! You will like them!