Deep, Dark Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-1/3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 large egg yolks, plus 1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso
lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Method

1. Set a fine strainer in a bowl over a larger bowl of ice water.
2. Microwave the chocolate and butter until melted. Let cool slightly.
3. In a medium saucepan, simmer 2 cups of the milk with 1/4 cup of the sugar and the salt.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and cornstarch with the remaining 1/3 cup of milk.
5. Whisk the cocoa paste into the hot milk. In the same bowl, whisk the yolks and whole egg with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Gradually whisk some of the hot milk mixture into the eggs to warm them, then whisk the egg mixture into the saucepan and cook over moderately high heat, whisking, until very thick, about 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate-butter mixture, vanilla extract and instant espresso.
7. Strain the pudding into the bowl set in the ice bath and stir until cooled.
8. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve with whipped cream.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Chef Chris Broberg

Steamed Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp cocoa
1/8 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup half and half cream
confectioners’ sugar

Method

1. Cream the butter in mixer bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 5 minutes.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa and salt together.
3. Beat in the flour mixture and eggs alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
4. Add the vanilla extract and cream and beat in thoroughly. Turn into a very heavily buttered 1 to 1-1/2-quart metal mold or pyrex dish.
5. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons butter to grease mold. Place a double thickness of buttered waxed paper over top, then cover with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Tie this tightly with heavy string. Trim paper and foil, leaving only about 1 inch overhang. If mold has a lid, place on top.
6. Place rack in steamer and add boiling water just to bottom of rack.
7. Place the mold on the rack. Bring to a boil, then cover with lid. Reduce heat to low and cook at a low boil for 2 hours, adding boiling water occasionally to keep water level just below rack.
8. Remove mold from steamer. Let rest for about 2 minutes, then remove covers and un-mold.
9. Dust generously with confectioners’ sugar. Serve plain, with whipped cream, a chocolate sauce or Brandy Butter.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: The Creative Cooking Course

Black Forest Roulade

Ingredients

1 tsp sunflower oil, for oiling
6 oz semisweet chocolate
2-3 tbsp kirsch or cognac
5 eggs
1 cup superfine sugar
2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Filling

1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp kirsch or cognac
12 oz fresh black cherries, pitted, or 14 oz canned sour cherries, drained and pitted

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Lightly oil and line a jelly roll pan with nonstick parchment paper.
2. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Add the kirsch and heat gently, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Place the eggs and superfine sugar in a large heatproof bowl and set over the saucepan of gently simmering water. (Alternatively, place in the bowl of a free-standing mixer and use a balloon whip.) Whisk the eggs and sugar until very thick and creamy and the whisk leaves a trail when dragged across the surface. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cooled chocolate.
4. Spoon into the prepared jelly roll pan, then tap the pan lightly on a counter to smooth the top.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the top feels firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and immediately invert onto a whole sheet of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with the confectioners’ sugar. Lift off the pan and its lining paper, then roll up, encasing the new parchment paper in the roulade. Let stand until cooled.
6. For the filling, whip the cream until soft peaks form, then stir in the kirsch, reserving 1-2 tablespoons. Unroll the roulade and spread over the cream to within 1/4 inch of the edges. Scatter the cherries over the cream.
7. Carefully roll up the roulade again and place on a serving platter

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source: 100 Best Delicious Chocolate

Caramel Chocolate Cream Puff

Ingredients

2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 eggs, room temperature

Chocolate Cream

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup icing sugar
3 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
jar of salted caramel

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF and line a baking tray with parchment paper or with a silicone baking mat.
2. Sift flour and cocoa powder together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Crack your eggs into another separate bowl and set aside.
4. Combine milk, water, salt, sugar and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, remove from heat.
5. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir it in with a wooden spoon. Return the saucepan to the heat, and on medium-low heat, continue to stir for around 2 minutes until it all comes together.
6. Remove from heat and transfer the batter to the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment. Beat on low to release any extra heat from the dough.
7. While the dough is beating, add the previously cracked eggs one at a time. Depending on how long you cooked your initial dough, you might not need to add all the eggs. Your dough will be ready when you have a creamy yet elastic consistency.
8. Transfer finished dough to a piping bag fitted with a 14 mm round pipping tip.
9. Pipe out 6 cm wide rounds, leaving 2-3 cm in between them. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Do not open oven door during baking to avoid the cream puffs from collapsing.
10. To make the Chocolate Cream, sift together icing sugar and cocoa in a bowl. Set aside.
11. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer with whisk attachment, whip up the cold cream past the bubbly stage. When it starts to thicken, slowly add cocoa mixture to the cream, turning the machine off while adding.
12. When cream becomes a thicker consistency, transfer to a piping bag equipped with a star tip and place in refrigerator until ready to use.
13. To assemble, with a serrated knife, cut off top third of puff horizontally.
14. While holding the piping bag vertically, pipe a circle of chocolate cream on the bottom part of the choux. Layer 2 more circles on top to create a hollow structure of cream.
15. Pipe some caramel into the centre, filling the cavity.
16. Place the top part of choux on the cream. Pipe a rosette of the same chocolate cream on the top for decoration. Keep chilled until served.

Makes 10 cream puffs.

Source: ciao!

Steamed Hot Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

1/2 cup dark chocolate, grated
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp brandy
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
4 Tbsp dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp ground almonds
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp coffee extract or very strong coffee, cooled
icing sugar and grated semi-sweet chocolate, for decoration

Method

1. Lightly butter a 1-quart pudding dish.
2. Slowly melt the chocolate with the milk and brandy in a bowl over hot water.
3. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
4. Stir in the sugar, ground almonds, eggs, coffee extract and melted chocolate mixture.
5. Spoon the batter into the pudding dish, cover with pleated wax paper and foil secured with string. Steam, covered, for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Turn the pudding out onto a warmed serving plate, dust with icing sugar, and sprinkle with grated chocolate.
7. Serve hot with custard or cream on the side.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Steam Cuisine