Chocolate Blackout Pudding From Scratch Food

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Spoon into individual serving dishes. Chill until serving. If desired, garnish with whipped cream and M&M's.

CHOCOLATE BLACKOUT PUDDING (FROM SCRATCH)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup milk with the cornstarch and whisk well. Add the yolk, egg, sugar, and cocoa and whisk well.
• In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk over med-high heat until it begins to boil. Then pour about half of the milk into the cornstarch mixture, stirring all the time. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Place the pan over low heat, and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes, until the pudding thickens. The pudding should get very thick, like yogurt.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate pieces, vanilla, and alcohol if you like. Stir until chocolate is melted.
• Ladle the pudding into mugs or ramekins and chill at least 1 1/2 hours. Serve it cold, topped with whipped cream if you like.

CHOCOLATE BLACKOUT CAKE

Steps:

• Make the filling: Bring the milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and egg in a medium heatproof bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk half of the hot milk into the sugar mixture, then return to the pan with the remaining milk. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl (strain through a fine-mesh sieve if it looks lumpy), then stir in the chocolate until melted. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the ganache: Put the chocolate and salt in a large heatproof bowl. Bring 1 1/2 cups heavy cream to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat; pour over the chocolate and let sit 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Pour 3/4 cup of the ganache into a liquid measuring cup and set aside at room temperature. Refrigerate the remaining ganache in the bowl until thick but not set, about 1 hour.
• Assemble the cake: Put 1 cake layer on a platter; spread the filling on top, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge. Top with the second cake layer and press down gently.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons heavy cream to the chilled ganache and beat with a mixer on medium speed until just fluffy, about 1 minute (do not overbeat). Frost the whole cake with the whipped ganache. Pour the room-temperature ganache on top, letting it drip down the sides. Let set before slicing, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk the cocoa powder and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula. (The batter will be thin.)
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and tap the pans against the counter to help the batter settle. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Put 1 1/2 cups of the milk, the sugar, and the cocoa in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a simmer, over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of the milk, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, and vanilla in a bowl. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Return to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and continue whisking until thick, about 2 or 3 minutes more.
• Pour the pudding into 6 small cups. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight until set.
• Just before serving pour the cream into a chilled bowl. Whip the cream with a whisk or a hand held mixer, and continue beating until soft peaks form. Take care not to over-beat the cream or it will be grainy. Serve each pudding with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

HASTY CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa and cornstarch. Whisk in milk a little at a time so the mixture does not have any dry lumps.
• Place in the microwave, and cook for 3 minutes on high. Stir, then cook at 1 minute intervals, stirring between cooking times for 2 to 4 minutes, or until shiny and thick. Stir in vanilla.
• Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold.

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a double boiler or metal bowl over simmering water, heat the milk, butter and chocolate until chocolate is melted (chocolate may appear curdled)., Combine sugar, flour and salt. Sprinkle over chocolate mixture (do not stir). Cover and continue to cook in a double boiler over medium-low heat, 20 minutes. With a wooden spoon, stir until smooth. Remove from the heat., Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and a thermometer reads 160°. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to dessert dishes., Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. If desired, top with whipped cream.

PUDDING FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• In a 2 quart saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly stir in milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture thickens. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in vanilla.
• Pour hot pudding into dessert glasses or molds that have been rinsed in cold water. Chill until firm. Unmold if desired. Serve.

VANILLA OR CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. If making chocolate pudding, add cocoa powder. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
• Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low; still whisking, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding.
• Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Before serving, whisk pudding until smooth; divide among four serving dishes.