Kim Clarken of Holladay is the winner of Z'Tejas Restaurant's chili dessert recipe contest. Her "Chocolate Cherry Bread Pudding With a Kick" will be featured on the restaurant's menu through Sept. 21 as part of the restaurant's annual Chile Festival. Clarken's recipe combines Godiva chocolate liquor, Utah cherries, red chile flakes and orange zest. See recipe on this page.

For the annual festival, Z'Tejas ships in more than 1,000 pounds of famous Hatch, N.M., green chile peppers, which are roasted for use in appetizers, entrees and desserts.

For every item ordered off the Chile Fest menu, Z'Tejas will contribute one dollar to the Salt Lake City Fire Department and its charity of choice.

Chocolate cherry bread pudding with a kick

Pudding:

1/2 cup dried cherries

3 tablespoons chocolate liqueur (such as Godiva)

1 teaspoon butter, or butter-flavored cooking spray

1 loaf chocolate, cherry bread*

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

8 eggs

4 cups half and half

1 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

Zest of one orange

Chocolate chili cream sauce:

1/2 cup chocolate liqueur

2 1/2 tablespoons corn starch

2 cups cream

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Zest of 1 orange

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Soak cherries in chocolate liqueur until softened.

Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.

Layer 1/2 of the bread cubes in the bottom of dish. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and soaked cherries, including liqueur. Top with remaining bread cubes.

Mix eggs until well blended, stir in half and half, light brown sugar, vanilla, salt, red chili pepper flakes, and orange zest. Pour custard evenly over bread cubes and press bread cubes lightly so all are saturated with custard. Let pudding sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.

Place baking dish on top of parchment lined baking sheet. Place on center rack of oven. Bake for 60 minutes.

For sauce, mix chocolate liqueur and cornstarch until smooth. In a saucepan, bring cream, sugar and orange zest to low boil. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts and chili pepper flakes.

Remove bread pudding from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving. Cut into pieces and top with warm chocolate chili cream sauce.

*Harmons grocery stores and Great Harvest make this bread. Slightly stale bread works best.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Kim Clarken, 2008 Z'Tejas Chile Fest Dessert Contest winner