Dark Chocolate Pudding

This rich, creamy confection crosses a classic, American, cornstarch-thickened chocolate pudding with a luxurious French egg-yolk-laden chocolate custard called pot de crème. It has a dense, satiny texture and a fudgelike flavor from the combination of bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder and brown sugar. Make sure to serve it with either whipped cream or crème fraîche for a cool contrast; crème fraîche has the advantage of also adding tang.

More romantic recipes, from dinner for two to chocolate for all, can be found here.

Ingredients

• 1 large egg, plus 2 yolks
• 6 ounces/170 grams bittersweet chocolate, preferably 66 percent to 74 percent cacao, chopped
• 2 tablespoons/30 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups/360 milliliters whole milk
• ½ cup/120 milliliters heavy cream
• ⅓ cup/67 grams light or dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons/15 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons/20 grams cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon/2 grams fine sea salt
• Whipped cream or crème fraîche, for serving
• Chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish (optional)

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

    300 calories; 19 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 24 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 105 milligrams cholesterol; 167 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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8 servings

Preparation

1. In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together egg and yolks. Set aside.
2. Place chocolate, butter and vanilla extract in a food processor or blender but don’t turn on.
3. In a medium pot, whisk together milk, cream, brown sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt until smooth. Bring to a full boil, whisking, and let bubble for 1 to 2 minutes to activate cornstarch. At that point, it will start to thicken, and when it does immediately pull the pot off the heat. (You don’t want to overboil the cornstarch, which can cause it to thin out again.)
4. Pour a little of the hot cornstarch mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly to prevent them from curdling, then pour eggs back into the pan with the remaining cornstarch mixture. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture just returns to a bare simmer (one bubble is plenty). Immediately pour into the food processor or blender. Run the machine until the pudding is very smooth (the hot milk mixture will melt the chocolate).
5. Pour into individual bowls or teacups or 1 large decorative bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm and cold, at least 4 hours for individual servings and as many as 8 hours for 1 large bowl. Pudding can be made 3 days ahead. Serve with whipped cream or whipped crème fraîche, decorated with chocolate shavings and a pinch of sea salt, if you like.