Creme Brulee, Another Way

Ingredients:
1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
2 quarts hot water  

* * * * * * 

Preparing the creme brulee: 
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 

 Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use. 

 In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7- to 8-ounce) ramekins. 

Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. 

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving. 

 Serves 6

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Chocolate Mousse Trifle

Ingredients for the trifle: 1 quart heavy cream 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup creme fraiche 2 batches pudding 3 cups crumbled Oreos 4 1.4-ounce chocolate-covered English toffee bars, such as Heath, chopped * * * * * * Ingredients for the pudding: 4 egg yolks 1 1/2 cups sugar 4 cups heavy cream 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup unsweetened cocoa 1/3 cup all purpose flour 1 stick unsalted butter, cubed 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips Preparing the trifle: In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar until aerated, just before soft peaks have started to form. Gently fold in the creme fraiche. In a large trifle bowl, place a thick layer of the pudding, top with a layer of the whipped cream mixture and then sprinkle on half of the cookies and half of the toffee candy. Repeat the process, finishing with the cookies and candy. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 2 hours and serve. * * * * * * Preparing the pudding: Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl. Add the cream and salt and whisk until combined. Mix the cocoa and flour together, and then whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. Place the mixture in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and stir continuously until the mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and chocolate until melted. Let cool. Makes about 5 cups. Serves 8 to 10

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Tiramisu

Ingredients for the tiramisu:
1 store-bought chocolate sheet cake
1 cup fresh hot espresso
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
1-ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, or 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder or powdered sugar

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the zabaglione:
4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 T light or dark rum
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the chocolate mascarpone mousse:
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
*2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar

Preparing the mousse:
To make the mousse, combine the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl and place in the microwave and cook on high heat for 45 seconds. Stir until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and shiny.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone and chocolate mixture with an electric mixer at medium to medium-high speed until soft and creamy. Pause occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In another bowl, with clean beaters, whip the egg yolks and sugar until frothy, about 30 seconds on high. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the egg mixture into the chocolate-cream cheese mixture until blended. Cover the mousse and refrigerate until ready to assemble the tiramisu. (You should have about 2 cups mousse. The mousse may be made ahead, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)

* * * * * *

Preparing the zabaglione:
Prepare an ice water bath. Combine the yolks, rum, Marsala and 1/2 cup sugar in the top of a double boiler. Place over (not touching) barely simmering water in the lower pan and whisk vigorously, or beat with an electric mixer, until the mixture begins to foam. Whisk continuously until the mixture triples in volume and thickens to form soft mounds when the whisk is lifted, about 7 minutes. Immediately place the top of the double boiler in the ice water bath to stop the cooking. Let cool, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, beat the 1/2 cup heavy cream until it begins to foam. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and continue to beat until the cream holds soft peaks. Fold whipped cream into the cooled zabaglione. Cover and chill for several hours before assembling the tiramisu. You should have about 2 cups.

* * * * * *

Preparing the coffee syrup:
In a small bowl or pitcher, add the sugar to the hot espresso. Stir well to dissolve the sugar, then add the rum.

* * * * * *

Assembling the tiramisu:
Cut off the top of the cake, crumble the shiny tops of the cake into crumbs and place them in a 150 degrees F to 200 degrees F oven until thoroughly dry and crunchy. Set aside to decorate the top of the tiramisu after assembling.

Cut the cake in half horizontally. Arrange a layer of cake, cut side up, in the bottom of a deep 2 1/2-quart bowl. Moisten evenly with some of the espresso syrup. Spread half the mousse on top, and then spread half of the zabaglione on top of the mousse. Arrange the second layer of cake, again cut side up, on the mousse. Moisten well with syrup. Spread the remaining mousse on top in an even layer, followed by the remaining zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving. With a vegetable peeler, cut curls of chocolate to garnish the top, or dust with cocoa or with the crumbs from the cake top.

Serves 8 to 10

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Moroccan Rice Pudding

Ingredients:
3.5 ounces rice
2 1/2 T unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
2 3/4 cups of whole milk
1 cup of heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split
1/3 cup of caster sugar or vanilla sugar
1 teaspoon organic orange zest or a strip of organic lemon peel
a pinch of salt
2/3 cup chopped dates
2 teaspoons of rosewater
dried organic rose petals, garnish

Preparing the rice pudding:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Wash the rice in a strainer under cold water and drain.

Rub the inside of an oven-proof dish with a little butter. Put the milk, cream and vanilla bean in a saucepan and heat gently until bubbles just start to appear around the edges. Stir in the rice, sugar, citrus zest and salt, and simmer for five minutes. Stir in the dates and rosewater, pour into the greased dish and dot the top with butter. Cover with foil or a lid and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir gently, then return to the oven, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove and stir again, scraping up any bits of rice which have stuck to the bottom.

At this point, if you prefer a pudding without a skin, put a lid or foil back on the pan; if you want the skin, don't bother. Return the rice pot to the oven for another hour, or until the rice is tender and creamy – keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't dry out; add a bit more milk if it does.

Serve with the rose petals sprinkled over the top.

Serves 4

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Arborio Rice Pudding

Ingredients:
1 cup water
pinch of salt
1/2 T butter
1/2 cup Arborio rice
2 cups whole milk
4 T sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a few dashes of ground cinnamon
whipped cream, for serving

Preparing the pudding:
Bring water, salt, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice, return to a boil, and then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Shake the pan occasionally and cook until rice has absorbed the water but it still al dente, about 15 minutes.

Bring milk, sugar, vanilla, and a few dashes of cinnamon to a simmer in a separate saucepan. Add the cooked rice and cook at a simmer over medium-low heat until rice absorbs most of the milk and mixture starts to get thick and silky, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer pudding to a large bowl and cool to room temperature. Place in refrigerator until cool and set. Serve with whipped cream and a dash more cinnamon.

Serves 4

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Chocolate Espresso Mousse With Orange Mascarpone Cream

Ingredients for the mousse:
1/2 cup whole milk
3 T granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3 large egg whites

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the mascarpone cream:
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 T fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 T powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest

Preparing the mousse:
In a small saucepan over medium heat stir together the milk with the sugar and the espresso powder until the milk is hot, but not boiling, and the sugar is dissolved. Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth. Place the chocolate chips in a blender.

Pour the hot milk over the chips. Run the blender on high until combined, a few seconds. Add the egg whites and run the blender on high until light, about 1 minute. Transfer the mousse to 4 small serving cups. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the cream:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the mascarpone cheese and the orange juice until smooth. Add the cream, powdered sugar, and orange zest. Whip until the cream has soft peaks, about 1 minute. Whip the cream just before serving the mousse or cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serves 4

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Bradley Ogden's Butterscotch Pudding, Another Way

Ingredients:
4 cups heavy cream, divided use
1 vanilla bean, split, with seeds scraped and reserved
1 cup (5 ounces) butterscotch chips
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 T water
2T scotch

Preparing the pudding:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Boil a full tea kettle of water; set aside.

Put 3 1/2 cups heavy cream and the vanilla bean and its seeds in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, take off heat and whisk in butterscotch chips until blended smoothly.

Place egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk well. Slowly add hot cream mixture while whisking vigorously. Set aside.

In a small, deep, heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar and water over high heat. When sugar dissolves and caramelizes, carefully add scotch and remaining 1/2 cup cream. Continue cooking, stirring well, until mixture is smooth and slightly thick, about 3 minutes. Whisk this caramel mixture into butterscotch mixture.

Strain mixture through a fine sieve. Divide among 12 (4-ounce) ramekins. Place ramekins in a large roasting pan. Place pan on oven rack, then carefully pour tea kettle of hot water into roasting pan, taking care not to splash into ramekins. Water should come halfway up the sides of ramekins.

Carefully slide roasting pan into oven. Bake for 50 minutes until puddings are set but still a little wiggly. Transfer ramekins to a rack or cookie sheet to cool for about 30 minutes. Refrigerate, loosely covered with foil, overnight.

Serve puddings with a dollop of unsweetened or lightly sweetened whipped cream. Or serve them brulee style by sprinkling the tops with a little granulated sugar, then caramelizing them with a blow torch.

Serves 12

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Chocolate Almond Ricotta Cake

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons butter, softened
2 hard-boiled egg yolks, plus 2 raw egg whites
3/4 pound ricotta cheese, drained
4 T granulated sugar
1 1/2 ounces dark rum
2 T bittersweet chocolate, finely grated, plus more for garnish
1/8 pound blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
lemon zest, for garnish

Preparing the ricotta cake:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Thickly grease the bottom and sides of a 1 quart loaf pan with butter.

Hard-boil 2 eggs. [Add the 2 whole eggs to a small pot and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a gentle boil over medium heat. When the water boils, lower the heat to a simmer and cook the eggs for 6 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pot and run them under cold water to stop them from overcooking.]

Peel the hard-boiled eggs and, discarding the whites, put the yolks through a small strainer to break them into small bits. Add the egg yolks to the ricotta and stir to combine.

In a medium bowl add the sugar, rum, chocolate and almonds and whisk to blend. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the 2 raw egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture with a rubber spatula, retaining as much fluffiness as possible.

Transfer the mixture to the loaf pan. Put the pan into a shallow water bath and bake, undisturbed, for 50 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and the water bath. Allow to cool at room temperature and put into the refrigerator to tighten up before serving. Sprinkle with a touch of lemon zest and some chocolate over each individual portion.

Serves 4 to 6

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Arborio Rice Pudding

Ingredients:
1 cup water
pinch salt
1/2 T butter
1/2 cup Arborio rice
2 cups whole milk
4 T sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or scrape out the seeds from on vanilla bean
a few dashes ground cinnamon
whipped cream, for serving

Preparing the pudding:
Bring water, salt, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice, return to a boil, and then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Shake the pan occasionally and cook until rice has absorbed the water but it still al dente, about 15 minutes.

Bring milk, sugar, vanilla, and a few dashes of cinnamon to a simmer in a separate saucepan. Add the cooked rice and cook at a simmer over medium-low heat until rice absorbs most of the milk and mixture starts to get thick and silky, anywhere from 15 to 45 or so minutes, depending on your stove.

Transfer pudding to a large bowl and cool to room temperature. Place in refrigerator until cool and set. Serve with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

Serves 4

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TF's Rice Pudding

Ingredients:
3 cups white rice, cooked
3 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar
2 T butter
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon, grated
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

Preparing the rice pudding:
Combine cooked rice, milk, sugar and butter in a medium saucepan. Add raisins and vanilla. Cook for 25 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Mix in lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Spoon pudding into a serving dish and dust with remaining cinnamon. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6

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Zabaglione, Another Way (with Cream)

Ingredients:
6 large egg yolks
6 T white granulated sugar
6 T Vin Santo wine or Marsala
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup fresh fruit, like sliced strawberries and/or blueberries

Preparing the zabaglione:
Put the egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl. Whisk in the sugar, and Vin Santo wine or Marsala.

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Lower the heat and place the steel bowl over but not touching the water. Whisk the yolk mixture for 8 minutes, or until it becomes light and creamy. Monitor the heat, otherwise you'll end up with scrambled eggs. Set aside and let cool.

In another bowl, whip the cream with a hand mixer.

Gently fold the zabaione into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula, and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until ready to serve. Spoon over fresh fruits like strawberries or blueberries.

Serves 4

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Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 T cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
3 T cornstarch
2 T bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
whipped cream

Preparing the pudding:
In medium pot, scald milk over medium heat.

In large pot, combine sugar, cocoa, salt, and water. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Place the cornstarch, chocolate, and vanilla in larger bowl and set aside.

Once the milk has come to a scald, remove from the heat and set aside.

Place the pot with the sugar-water mixture over moderately-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Whisk until thoroughly melted. Set aside.

In the cornstarch bowl, whisk enough of the hot milk with the cornstarch to make a slurry, then whisk in the remaining milk.

Pour the milk into the chocolate mixture, then return to moderately-high heat.

Cook the pudding until it reaches the boil. Stirring with a heatproof spatula, making sure to continuously scrape the bottom of the pan. Allow to boil for 1 minute, still scraping the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.

Immediately pour the pudding into a pan and press plastic wrap snugly against the surface.

Refrigerate for several hours. Spoon pudding into bowls and top with fresh whipped cream.

Serves 4

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Maple Syrup Pudding PanCake

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2/3 cups butter
1 cup sugar
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups maple syrup
2 cups heavy cream

Preparing the pudding:
Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at the time. Add flour and baking powder and stir until flour is completely incorporated. Chill for at least 24 hours.

Preheat oven a 450 degrees F. Bring syrup and cream to a boil in a saucepan. Divide dough in 6 ramekins and fill each with the cream and syrup mix. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. The batter should half fill the ramekins, and the syrup should come no closer than 1/4-inch from the rim, or it will boil over. Serve it with whipped cream.

Serves 6

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Caramel Pudding

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean
1/2 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
fine sea salt

Preparing the pudding:
Heat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Pour the cream into a small saucepan. Split vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the cream; toss the scraped pod in there too. Turn the heat to low to gently warm the cream.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the sugar; pour remaining sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water into heavy-bottomed saucepan and set over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Then crank the heat to high and let the liquid bubble away; don’t stir, just swirl the pan occasionally until it turns dark amber which will take about 4 minutes. Watch it closely.

Remove the vanilla pod out of the cream. Slowly stir the warm cream into the caramel over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes.

Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Whisk a little of the cream and caramel mixture into the egg yolks. Gradually add the rest, until it's all incorporated.

Strain the mixture into a pitcher or large measuring cup and pour into four ramekins. Place the ramekins in a shallow pan half filled with cold water. If you like your caramel a bit salty, sprinkle a few extra grains of sea salt on top of each one. Cook at 300 degrees F for about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve with whipped cream.

Serves 4

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Chocolate-Hazelnut Pudding

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole hazelnuts
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half and half
1 vanilla bean
6 extra large egg yolks
3 T cornstarch, sifted
1/2 cup sugar
1 large pinch salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 T butter

Preparing the pudding:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Let cool and remove skins.

Chop the cooled hazelnuts to a coarse crumb in a food processor.

Put the milk and half and half in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and add both the bean and seeds to the milk. Add the hazelnuts and heat to scalding over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes.

Whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar and salt together in a large bowl until thick and pale yellow.

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Strain the milk-hazelnut mixture into the egg yolk mixture, half a cup at a time, whisking after each addition until you've added about a cup and a half. Then strain and whisk in the rest of the milk. Return to the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the custard is thick and starts to bubble, about 3 minutes.

Strain the thickened custard into a clean bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate-butter mixture.

Scrape the entire pudding into a blender or food processor and process for about 30 seconds, until silken and smooth.

Spoon the pudding into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Chill, overnight if possible, before eating -- The flavors do need to marry.

Serves 8

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Debbie's Tiramisu

Ingredients:
3 cups brewed coffee, cooled
2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone
5 eggs, separated
14 ounces Savoiardi cookies or ladyfingers
4 ounces sugar, plus 2 T or more, for the coffee
2 shots rum or Italian Marsala, optional
pinch of salt
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup shaved dark chocolate, to garnish

Preparing the tiramisu:
First prepare about 3 cups of coffee, add 2 tablespoons or more to sweeten and set aside to cool.

Mix the egg yolks with 2 ounces sugar, and mix until you obtain a creamy light mixture. Work the mascarpone in a bowl using a wooden spoon, eliminate all lumps, then add the mascarpone to the sugar and egg mixture and continue to mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix the egg whites, pinch of salt, and the remaining 2 ounces sugar, until they reach a somewhat firm, but fluffy consistency, then add them to the mascarpone mixture. Stir in the rum.

Dip the Savoiardi cookies in the coffee, and one by one, lay them flat into a 7-inch by 11-inch pyrex pan, making sure not to soak the cookies; make sure they maintain their firmness. Once the first layer of cookies has been laid out, spread a layer of the mascarpone cream on top, and dust with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.

Repeat with another layer of coffee-dipped cookies, cream and cocoa powder. Garnish the top of the cake with the shaved dark chocolate.

Cover the tray with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 3 hours so the flavors can marry and the tiramisu can settle.

Serves 8

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Zabaglione

Ingredients:
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Marsala
pinch kosher salt
fresh berries, for serving, optional

Preparing the zabaglione:
Bring 1-inch of water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan set over high heat.

Add the egg yolks and sugar to a large glass bowl. Using an electric hand mixer on the highest speed, beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture is thick, pale yellow, and the sugar is completely dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Decrease the mixer speed to low and add the Marsala and salt.

Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and put the bowl atop the saucepan with the boiling water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Beat the mixture on medium speed, until it is thick, frothy, holds a ribbon, and the temperature reaches 145 to 150 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer.

Spoon the warm mixture into custard cups or serving glasses and serve immediately or allow to cool slightly. Serve with fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), if desired.

Serves 8 to 10

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Espresso Zabaglione

Ingredients:
4 large egg yolks
3 T sugar
1 cup hot espresso

Preparing the zabaglione:
Whisk the yolks and sugar in a large glass bowl to blend. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Whisk until the yolk mixture is very thick and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the hot espresso. Pour the espresso mixture into mugs and serve immediately.

Serves 4

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Slow Cooker Chocolate Mocha Pudding Cake

Ingredients:
cooking Spray or butter for pot
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 T plus 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (divided use)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
3 T butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 2/3 cup hot coffee or hot water

Preparing the pudding cake:
Spray inside of 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray or rub with butter.
In a mixing bowl, thoroughly stir together flour, granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir in the milk, melted butter, vanilla and chocolate chips. Spread this mixture over the bottom of the slow cooker.
In another bowl, mix together brown sugar and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Sprinkle cocoa mixture over the batter, but do not stir it in. Pour the coffee evenly over all. Again, do not stir.

Cover and cook on high heat for 1 3/4 to 2 hours or until a tester inserted in the top portion of the cake comes out clean. The inside should be hot and similar to fudge sauce. Spoon cake and sauce out of slow cooker and arrange next to or under a very cold scoop of ice cream, or set the ice cream on top.

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Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 T cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
3 T cornstarch
2 T bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
fresh whipped cream, for serving

Preparing the pudding:
In medium pot, scald milk over medium heat.

In large pot, combine sugar, cocoa, salt, and water. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Place the cornstarch, chocolate, and vanilla in larger bowl and set aside.

Once the milk has come to a scald, remove from the heat and set aside.

Place the pot with the sugar-water mixture over moderately-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Whisk until thoroughly melted. Set aside.

In the cornstarch bowl, whisk enough of the hot milk with the cornstarch to make a slurry, then whisk in the remaining milk.

Pour the milk into the chocolate mixture, then return to moderately-high heat.

Cook the pudding until it reaches the boil. Stirring with a heatproof spatula, making sure to continuously scrape the bottom of the pan. Allow to boil for 1 minute, still scraping the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.

Immediately pour the pudding into a pan and press plastic wrap snugly against the surface.

Refrigerate for several hours. Spoon pudding into bowls and top with fresh whipped cream.

Serves 4

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