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1
Preheat the oven to 425F.
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2
Brush the brioche slices with the melted butter, and toast them on both sides in the oven until golden brown.
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3
Coarsely chop the chocolate, and put the pieces in a small bowl.
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4
Place the bowl in a larger bowl of hot water and set aside, allowing the chocolate to melt slowly.
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5
Combine the cream and milk in a saucepan, and heat almost to a boil.
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6
While the cream-milk mixture is heating, whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a large mixing bowl until well blended.
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7
Slowly add the hot cream, whisking constantly.
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8
Then strain the mixture into another bowl and skim off any foam.
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9
Slowly pour the strained mixture into the melted chocolate, whisking constantly.
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10
Stir in the vanilla and salt.
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11
Arrange the brioche slices in a 12 x 9-inch baking dish, in two overlapping rows.
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12
Pour the chocolate mixture over the brioche, and loosely lay a piece of plastic wrap over the dish.
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13
Place a smaller dish on top of the plastic wrap, weighting down the brioche to keep it submerged.
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14
Add weights such as soup cans to the smaller dish if necessary.
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15
Let stand until the bread is soaked through, 1 hour.
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16
Preheat the oven to 325F.
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17
Remove the weights (if any), the smaller pan, and plastic wrap.
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18
Cover the baking dish with foil, and make a few holes in the foil for steam to escape.
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19
Place the baking pan in a larger pan, and fill the larger pan with hot water so that it reaches two thirds of the way up the sides of the baking dish.
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20
Transfer the pans to the oven, and bake until the chocolate liquid has been absorbed and the pudding looks glossy, 1 3/4 hours.
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21
Spoon a pool of custard sauce onto each plate.
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22
Cut the warm pudding into squares, and arrange a square on the sauce.
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23
Serve additional sauce on the side.
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24
For the Sauce:
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25
Fill a large mixing bowl with ice cubes and set aside.
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26
Combine the egg yolks and sugar in another mixing bowl, and beat until well blended.
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27
Combine the cream and milk in a heavy saucepan, and bring to a boil.
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28
Remove the pan from the heat, and gradually add 1/2 cup of the hot cream to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
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29
Slowly whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan containing the remaining hot cream, and place the pan over medium-low heat.
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30
Whisk constantly until the cream begins to thicken (do not let it boil).
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31
Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the brandy and salt.
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32
Strain the mixture into a small bowl and cool it quickly by placing the bowl in the bowl with the ice cubes.
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33
Serve chilled.
