I don't have much to say on this except, I love pudding. Puddings and custards and creams.
Oh, the sweet, rich glory of them!
Recently most dessert recipes that I think of making are some sort of custard. Custard is on my brain and just won't slip slide off. Of course, I don't really mind.
The following recipe from Alice Medrich's Pure Desserts was so delicious and sophisticated while still being pudding that the ease of it is going to be shared with you.
Alice Medrich has written a few well respected cookbooks and been a consultant on many others.
Pure Dessert is organized by featured flavor components. These Recipes often begin with well written anecdotal and/or explanatory notes and then go on to be straight forward and simple enough in concept (often also in skill.) Each picture is bright, crisp, uncomplicated and severely desirable.
I added a little more sugar (as AM suggests adjusting to your taste knowing that her recipe is very intense and bittersweet). Here it is as she writes it. Notice the detail she gives; she includes where your bowl should be so that when the crucial time hits you aren't in a panic! I whipped up some heavy cream adding a tiny teaspoon of sugar just to add a little dimension, but keeping it nearly pure so that it compliments and cuts through the richness of the pudding.
My (Medrich's) Chocolate Pudding:
2 large eggs
1/3 cup of sugar
1/3 cup (1.1. ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder (AM prefers natural)
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 pinches of salt
2 cups of whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (AM likes to use a 70% bittersweet) chopped medium-fine
equipment:
six 4-ounce custard cups or ramekins or 8 smaller cups.
Set the food processor near the stove. Have a whisk, a heatproof (silicone) spatula, and a ladle on hand.
In a medium bowl (preferably glass or crockery, because it is heavy and will stay put when you whisk in the hot pudding), Whisk the eggs thorough. Set the whisk and bowl near the stove.
In a medium heavy saucepan, mix the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Pour about 1/3 cup of the milk into the pan and whisk to make a smooth paste. Whisk in the remaining milk. Heat the milk mixture over medium heat, stirring with the heat-proof spatula, until it begins to bubble around the edges. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady low boil and stir constantly for 2 minutes, sweeping the bottom and sides of the pan constantly to avoid scorching. Remove from the heat.
Ladle about 1 cup of the hot mixture gradually over the eggs, whisking constantly to prevent scrambling. Scrape the egg mixture back into the pan and whisk vigorously to blend. Set the pan over l0w-medium heat and whisk for just 30 seconds, without simmering or boiling, to be sure the eggs are hot enough. Off the heat, add the vanilla and chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted.
Scrape the pudding into the processor and process for 10 seconds. Divide the pudding among the cups or ramekins. Let cool and serve, or chill before serving.
Enjoy! and always Share! (...with me...)
thanks Ms. Medrich for the recipe, KK for the book, SEM for the darling cups, JRD, as always for beautiful pictures.
