Bittersweet Chocolate Bread Pudding - VeryVera

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for the pan
• 3 baguettes, sliced ½ inch thick and halved crosswise
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10 oz best-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 large eggs
• Whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche, for serving
• 4 c canola oil
• 2 c pecan halves
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups whole milk
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp. bourbon