Place the milk and cream in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the bread with the melted butter. Set aside.
Place the chocolate in a mixing bowl. When the milk mixture begins to simmer, remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt and whisk until well combined. Pour over the bread, cover loosely with plastic wrap and place a smaller bowl on top. Weight with a heavy can and let the pudding stand for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch square baking dish. Transfer the pudding to the prepared dish and bake for 40–45 minutes until the pudding is set but the center still trembles slightly. Do not overbake because the pudding will set as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.
Author:
Recipe by The Tennessee Magazine at https://www.tnmagazine.org/bread-pudding/