The beginning of a new year continually fills me with a sense of renewal, a longing to de-clutter my life and an overwhelming desire to live more simply. My effort and elbow grease spent on creating and
implementing holiday meals are behind me now and it’s time to move
forward with new plans, goals and ideas for the future.
I am not one to make too many New Year’s resolutions but this year I have vowed to get back to basics in the kitchen; emphasizing fundamental kitchen techniques such as grilling, sautéing, braising and finally perfecting that “good white sauce”. These are just a handful of skills I feel all good cooks should be able to carry out with ease.
However, the measure of a good cook is
not just found in their proficiency to execute techniques but also in
their ability to make simple things well. Only a good cook can make
rich coffee, a scrumptious soup and eggs scrambled to perfection. I
personally love taking a recipe in its most basic form and challenging
myself to improve upon its overall flavor and quality.
And what could be simpler than making chocolate pudding from scratch, not to mention the good taste. However, when you add ingredients like Valrhona chocolate, cinnamon and espresso powder, you take a straightforward recipe and make it dinner party worthy.
This Dark Chocolate-Espresso Pudding with White Chocolate Whipped Cream has a sophisticated, intriguing and intense chocolate flavor. It is also a gentle reminder of how simple pleasures in the kitchen can be taken to whole new levels of “food nirvana” all with just a few of the right ingredients.
Dark Chocolate-Espresso Pudding
4 cups milk
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 ½ Tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 ½ Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon table salt
9 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
1 ½ Tablespoons vanilla extract
White Chocolate Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces good quality white chocolate
In a large saucepan whisk together
until blended, milk, sugar, cornstarch, unsweetened cocoa, instant
espresso powder, ground cinnamon and table salt. Bring to a boil over
medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Boil 1 minute, continuing to whisk until thickened. Remove from heat.
Add dark chocolate and vanilla extract. Stir until chocolate is melted and the pudding is smooth.
Pour into fourteen 2- ounce espresso cups. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
For the whipped cream: In a medium sized saucepan, simmer 1 cup heavy cream over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over 4-ounces of chopped, good quality, white chocolate; stir until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold. This can be made up to one day ahead.
Cathy is currently in the development stages of her vineyard and winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. She is a food writer for Davis Life Magazine and blogs daily about wine, food and everyday living. She lives with her husband and two sons. You can visit her at noblepig.com.