Chocolate Stout Pudding Food

STEAMED CHOCOLATE, STOUT & PRUNE PUDDING

Steps:

• Put the prunes in a dish with the stout and leave to soak overnight. The next day, strain and reserve the stout, and set the prunes aside.
• Butter a 1.5-litre pudding basin really well. Sift the cocoa powder together with the flour, bicarb and baking powder. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy, then gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the sifted ingredients, alternating with the reserved stout, followed by all the walnuts, the dark chocolate and soaked prunes. Scrape the batter into the prepared basin.
• Put a piece of baking parchment on top of a sheet of foil (both large enough to cover the top of the basin). Fold a pleat along the middle, then place, parchment-side down, on top of the pudding, with the pleat across the centre. Tie firmly in place with string, using the string to make a handle. Trim the excess parchment and foil.
• Put the pudding in a large saucepan with a lid, then pour in enough boiling water to come one-third of the way up the side of the basin. Bring the water to a simmer, cover the pan and steam the pudding for 1¾ hrs, making sure that the pan doesn't boil dry. Leave to sit for 10 mins.
• For the sauce, put the chocolate in a bowl. Pour the cream, stout and sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot, then pour over the chocolate. Leave to sit for 2 mins or so. Stir until smooth.
• To turn the pudding out, run a knife around the edge of the basin. Set a serving plate on top of the pudding, invert, give it a bit of a shake and it should slide out. Pour some of the chocolate sauce over the top and offer the rest in a jug, with some crème fraîche or whipped cream on the side.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Make the pudding: Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl.
• Combine the milk, chocolate and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the chocolate melts. Gradually pour the hot chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour back into the saucepan and stir until thick, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, then divide among 6 to 8 dessert cups or dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the cinnamon cream: Whip the cream with the sugar in a bowl until it just holds soft peaks; fold in the cinnamon. Serve with the pudding.

CHOCOLATE STOUT PUDDING

Steps:

• In a medium sized pot, add the cornstarch, sugar and brown sugar (to give the slight molasses undertone to the finish pudding, further enhancing the stouts flavor profile) and mix together with a whisk until all the dry ingredients are blended. Place the pot over medium heat.
• Pour in the stout (or other beer style), cream, and milk into the pot, mixing until the sugar dissolves. Continue to whisk slowly until the mixture starts to thicken, about 12 - 15 minutes and a Thermapen Instant Thermometer registers at least 175°F | 79°C. The pudding will thicken and leave a trace line from the whisks wires and the mixture is stirred. Remove from the bowl from the heat.
• Chop the chocolate into small pieces (to increase the surface area and speed up the melting) and add it to the pot, along with the vanilla extract. Whisk the pudding until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is silky smooth. Now is a good time to taste the pudding.
• Pour the pudding into either individual serving cups/ramekins/half pint glasses or a large serving dish. Cover the dishes/dish with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface, to prevent a crust from forming. Refrigerate the pudding for at least 4 hours or until fully chilled and the pudding is set. This pudding can be made up to 3 days in advance.

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS PUDDING

Steps:

• In large mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1 cup sugar.
• Open can of Guinness and SLOWLY pour into 4-cup measuring cup, pouring down side of cup to reduce foaming. Pour half of Guinness (about 7/8 cup) into heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups cream and whisk to combine. Set over medium heat and heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles just begin to form at edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
• SLOWLY pour hot chocolate mixture into eggs, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return mixture to saucepan and set over moderately low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon(should not run off spoon), at least 15 minutes. (Pudding will look separated.) Pour into blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Divide pudding among glasses, leaving at least 1 inch of space at top of each. Cover with plastic wrap(push the wrap right against top of pudding to keep "skin" from forming) and refrigerate until chilled and set.
• Meanwhile, pour remaining Guinness into small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 20 minutes. Pour syrup into small bowl and let cool.
• Beat remaining cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Add Guinness syrup and fold in until combined. Divide cream among 6 glasses of pudding and serve.
• ~The higher the cacoa content of the chocolate, the more you'll taste it, rather than the Guinness.
• ~Do NOT substitute half and half for heavy whipping cream--pudding and topping won't set up correctly.
• ~ You can omit the sugar from the whipped topping, but it will be slightly bitter. The pudding is so rich, some people think the slightly bitter topping compliments it well, but you can decide based on your own tastes. Some folks like just plain whipped cream--no sweetener, no flavoring.
• ~ because the pudding is so rich, you can use smaller glasses and divide it into 8-10 servings.