Persimmon Chocolate Bread Pudding

This rich, chocolate-laden bread pudding highlights the exotic yet complementary tart sweetness of persimmons. A perfect fall dessert. Be sure to use fuyu persimmons - not hachiya variety. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 12

• 4 cups half and half
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 loaf challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 fuyu persimmons, quartered and cut into 1/4 inch slices

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine half and half with the sugar, cocoa powder, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add the challah cubes and soak for 15 minutes.
In a buttered 13x9-inch baking dish, pour two-thirds of the challah mixture. Sprinkle with half of the chocolate chips and all of the persimmon slices. Top with remaining challah and then the rest of the chocolate chips.
Place the dish with the bread pudding into a large roasting pan and add water to the roasting pan until it reaches about one inch up the side of the pudding dish. Bake for 40 minutes. Leave dish in water bath until cool. Remove dish, cut pudding into squares and serve.