Recipe of the week: Deepest, Darkest Chocolate Pudding

This week’s recipe is another delectable dessert option from The Perfect Finish, by Bill Yosses, a cook “so skilled at making divine desserts that he crosses party lines with impunity,” [Read our full review here]. If you are looking to run for office, you could definitely get a few votes with this sinfully rich pudding.

Deepest, Darkest Chocolate Pudding

Makes 8 servings (6 oz each)

Special Equipment: Sifter, food processor, 8 (6-ounce) ramekins or teacups, 
or a large decorative bowl

Ingredients
6 tablespoons sugar (2.6 ounces, 75 grams)
4 tablespoons Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder 
(1 ounce, 28.5 grams)
4 tablespoons cornstarch (1 ounce, 28.5 grams)
¼ 
teaspoon fine sea salt (1.25 grams)
1 large egg (1.7 ounces, 48 grams), at room temperature
2 large egg yolks (1.2 ounces, 37.2 grams), at room temperature
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 60 to 66 percent cacao content) (about 1 cup, 170 grams)
2½ cups whole milk (20 ounces, 562 grams)
½ cup heavy cream (4 ounces, 
114 grams)
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4 grams)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 ounce, 28 grams)

Softly whipped cream, for serving
About ½ pound bittersweet chocolate for curls

Instructions

1. Sift the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper. Place the egg and yolks in a bowl, sprinkle the sugar mixture over them, and whisk to combine. Add a few tablespoons of milk to soften the mixture.

2. In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the chocolate until it is finely chopped.

3. Over medium heat, bring the milk and vanilla bean seeds or vanilla extract to a boil. Whisking constantly, gradually pour the hot milk over the egg mixture. Return this liquid to the saucepan, continuing to whisk constantly, and cook over low heat, stirring, until the mixture has thickened and just begun to bubble, about 5 minutes (one visible bubble is sufficient!).

4. Immediately pour this custard into the food processor with the chocolate, add the butter, and run until smooth, about 1 minute.

5. Pour the pudding into eight 6-ounce ramekins or teacups, or one large decorative bowl. Let cool, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days, and serve with whipped cream or chocolate curls.

Making chocolate curls

Reprinted from The Perfect Finish by Bill Yossas (c) 2010. Used with permission of the publisher, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.