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Chocolate Pudding

When cold, this pudding has a thick texture, much like a pot de crème, and is firm enough to hold a spoon upright. It is not the result of being especially rich with cream or stiff from eggs, but because chocolate is melted into the pudding at the end, firming up the custard as it cools. There is cocoa powder in the mix as well, giving it an even more intense chocolate flavor. Eat the pudding with unsweetened softly whipped cream-without question.

Kitchen notes: What you are making here is essentially pastry cream. Any time that you add a hot liquid to eggs, it is called tempering or a lie, meaning that you must add the hot liquid very slowly so that the eggs don't cook.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Have ready a fine-mesh sieve placed over a large heat-proof container. Combine the milk and cream in a heavy, medium saucepan and heat to just under a boil. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch and sugar, and sift in the cocoa powder. Whisk until blended. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the salt until blended, then add to the sugar mixture and whisk until well combined.

Slowly add half of the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture back into the pan with the rest of the milk mixture and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture has visibly thickened and registers 208 degrees Fahrenheit on a thermometer. This should take 5 to 7 minutes, depending on how cold your eggs are.

Immediately pour the contents of the pan through the sieve. Add the chocolate and let the heat of the milk-egg mixture melt it. When the chocolate has melted, blend with an immersion blender for a full 5 minutes until no lumps are visible. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides of the container with a rubber spatula as needed. Alternatively, you may use a blender and work in small batches, or use a whisk to blend by hand, being extremely careful with the hot mixture. Portion the pudding right away, let cool, and serve at room temperature. The pudding will keep, well covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Ingredients