Classic Chocolate Pudding

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks, as always, to Rosemary Zwick for this one:

An amateur photographer was invited to dinner with friends and took
along a few pictures to show the hostess. She looked at the photos and
commented, "These are very good. You must have a good camera." He didn't
make any comment. As he was leaving to go home, he said, "That was a
really delicious meal. You must have some very good pots."

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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The French have their creme brulee, the Italians have their panna cotta,
the Spanish have their flan, and I'm proud to say that we American have
our puddings. Here is a rich, thick, chocolate version I will put up against any nation's best:

Classic Chocolate Pudding

6 oz (170 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
2 Tbs (30 ml) cocoa powder (Dutch process if possible)
2 Tbs (30 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)
2/3 cup (160 ml) sugar
A pinch of salt
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
3 egg yolks
2 cups (500 ml) milk
1 Tbs (15 ml) unsalted butter
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl set over (not in) hot
water. Sift the cocoa powder, cornstarch, sugar, and salt into a large
heavy saucepan. Whisk in the cream, egg yolks, milk, and melted
chocolate. The chocolate will make lumps which will disappear in
cooking. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a
whisk. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the pudding coats the back
of a spoon very thickly. Strain the pudding into a bowl, pressing with a
rubber spatula and discarding the residue left in the strainer. Stir in
the butter and vanilla. Serve warm or chilled.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue Mar 9 17:14:12 2010