Pistachio Rocky Road Pudding Food

ROCKY ROAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat 4 cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until steaming.
• Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk.
• Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture until smooth, then gradually whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until it has thickened to a puddinglike consistency, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
• Cool slightly, stirring a few times to prevent a skin from forming. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding and refrigerate until completely cooled and thickened, about 4 hours.
• Before serving, whisk the pudding vigorously until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in the marshmallows, walnuts and chocolate chips. Spoon the pudding into six to eight individual cups and top with more chocolate chips.

ROCKY ROAD CHEESECAKE PUDDING

Steps:

• Line a 2 litre pudding bowl with cling film, leaving some overhanging to cover the top later. Thinly slice the cakes lengthways (8-9 slices per cake) and use the slices to line the base and sides of the bowl, making sure there are no gaps.
• Mix the ingredients for the filling with an electric hand whisk until thick and smooth. Fill the lined bowl with it, leaving some space for the rocky road to go on. Set aside.
• Break the chocolate for the rocky road into pieces in a heatproof bowl. Add the butter and golden syrup. Set over a pan of simmering water and leave for a few mins until melted - turn the heat off if the water boils, the residual heat will be enough to melt it. Stir until smooth and glossy.
• Tip the biscuits into a food bag and crush to a rubble with a rolling pin, creating some fine crumbs and some bigger pieces. Tip into the chocolate mix with the pretzel pieces and marshmallows. Mix until everything is coated in chocolate. Spoon it all over the cheesecake, covering the surface. Wrap the bowl in cling film and place a plate on top with a can to weigh it down. Chill for at least 24 hrs, or up to three days.
• Decorate the cheesecake on the day you want to serve it. Heat the cream, chocolate and golden syrup in a pan over a low-medium heat until the chocolate has melted and you have a pourable mixture - don't let it boil. Unwrap the cheesecake and turn onto a wire rack with a tray underneath. Pour over the chocolate glaze to cover the entire cake. When it stops dripping, use a fish slice to transfer to a plate. Chill until the glaze has set (about 10 mins).
• Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in shorts bursts in the microwave. Drizzle it over the top of the cake, then decorate as you like. We used edible glitter, gold sprinkles and chocolate truffles.

LAYERED PISTACHIO DESSERT (USES JELL-O PUDDING MIX)

Steps:

• Press first three ingredients into a 13" x 9" pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly.
• Beat Cool Whip, cream cheese and confectionery sugar with electric mixer; spread over cooled crust.
• Beat pudding mix and milk well with electric mixer on low setting. Let mixture stand until set. Then carefully spread over cream cheese layer.
• Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Slice into 2" x 2" pieces.
• Store refrigerated for up to five days.

CHRISTMAS ROCKY ROAD

Steps:

• Butter and line a 20cm square tin, or use a 20cm square silicone mould. Break the biscuits into pieces - they need to be no smaller than a pea, but not too chunky or your rocky road won't hold together.
• Halve any larger nuts either by snapping them or carefully cutting with a knife, then combine them with the biscuits. Halve any large pieces of dried fruit and chop or snap sweets into smaller pieces, then add these to the bowl.
• Melt 300g of the chocolate, the butter and the golden syrup carefully in a pan set over a low heat, stirring occasionally, then pour this over the biscuit and nut mixture and mix together so the chocolate covers everything.
• Tip the mixture into the tin, then level the top - it doesn't need to be completely smooth. Melt the remaining chocolate in the microwave in short blasts, or in a heatproof bowl over a small pan of simmering water, then drizzle this over the top and sprinkle with the decorations. Chill for at least 3 hrs or overnight before cutting into squares. Will keep in the fridge for three to four days.

PISTACHIO ROCKY ROAD PUDDING

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, scald the heavy cream.
• In a large saucepna, boil 1 3/4 cups sugar and 1 cup corn syrup until a medium golden caramel forms. Turn off the heat and slowly pour in the cream (careful - it will splatter). Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring for another 5 minutes. Pour the caramel into a large serving dish.
• For individual servings, pour a thin laer into each serving glass and let set.
• Sprinkle 1 envelope gelatin in a bowl filled with 1/3 cup of the milk. Set aside while gelatin blooms.
• In a medium saucepan, bring remainng 3 cups of milk and the 1/2 cup sugar to a boil. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking as it tickens. Stir in the bloomed gelatin and strain into chocolate. Mix until chocolate is fully melted and pudding is smooth. Pour over the caramel in the serving dish.
• For individual portions, divide pudding among serving glasses.
• Refrigerate 6 hours prior to serving.
• Sprinkle remaining 4 envelopes gelatin over 3/4 cup water. Set aside while gelatin blooms.
• Place egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Boil 2 1/4 cups sugar, remaining 3/4 cup water and 1 tablespoon corn syrup to 248°. When temperature reaches 230°, start whiskin egg whites in the mixer at medium speed. Once the syrup has reached 248°, add bloomed gelatin and stir. Slowly pour gelatin syrup mixture into the whipped egg whites and mix at medium speed until incorporated.
• Add the remaining 3/4 cup water and vanilla and whip on high speed for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Place marshmallows in piping ag and pipe large dollops onto the pudding, covering the pudding.
• For individual servings, pipe 1 large dollop.
• Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.
• Bring remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar, remaining 4 cups water and pistachios to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan for 15 minutes. Drain the pistachios and spread evenly onto a parchment-lined sheet pan.
• Bake in a 325° oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pistachios are toasted, but not burnt. Once pistachios have cooled, grind them to a medium pea-size texture in a food processor. Sprinkle the ground candied pistachios on the pudding; top with a pinch of Maldon sea salt. Serve.