Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

Why I Love This Recipe
Pan size: 2 souffle dishes or 13x9
Oven Temp: 325° F Yield: 2 dishes
pan with at least 2 sides
Ingredients You'll Need
20 mini croissants (about 1 week old at room temp)
butter, at room temperature (about ¼ cup)
chocolate chips
2 ½ eggs
1/3 cup sugar + 1 Tbl
½ Tbl vanilla
1 ¼ cups cream
½ tsp cinnamon
Directions
Slice croissants in half and butter the cut sides.
Layer croissants, butter side down in souffle dishes, alternating with chocolate bits, about 2/3 high in dish.
Beat eggs until thick, fluffy, pale yellow and more than double in volume (about 5 minutes).
Add sugar and vanilla, beat until incorporated.
Add cream and cinnamon, beat until incorporated.
Pour egg mixture slowly over the croissants, allowing it to absorb.
Place dishes in a bath of water (half way up the baking dish) and bake on the center rack for 20-25 minutes (until pudding is set, but still jiggles a little in the center). Do not over bake; pudding continues to set while cooling.
Remove from water bath immediately.
Best served warm. Cannot sit out more than 8 hours.