Chocolate Bread Pudding With Spiced Cream

From Emeril's Creole Christmas, via the Food Network web site.

I made it this evening. It's easy, and quite good.

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
2 cups half and half
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 large eggs
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
8 slices day-old white bread *
* crusts removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 6-cup (9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 2/4-inch) loaf pan with butter.
In a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the half and half.
When the cream comes up to a gentle boil, whisk in 1 cup of the chocolate chips, whisking constantly until the all chips have melted and are incorporated into the cream.
Remove from the heat, pour into mixer bowl, set aside.
Whisk the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and Grand Marnier together in a large mixing bowl until very smooth.
Add the egg mixture to the cream mixture in mixer bowl. Mix well.
Add the bread, incorporate thoroughly. Let mixture sit for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Pour half of the mixture into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate chips.
Pour the remaining bread mixture over the chocolate chips.
Bake until the pudding is set in the center, about 55 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes.To serve, cut the pudding into 1-inch thick slices.
Top with the spiced cream.


SPICED CREAM
1 quart heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Beat cream with an electric mixer on high speed in a large mixing bowl for about 2 minutes.
Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and beat again until the mixture thickens and forms stiff peaks, another 1 to 2 minutes.