Beginning with a Finger in the Pudding...

This isn't so easy, finding a way of beginning here. But I suppose that like so many have done before me, I'll just have to start by, well, starting.

For the last couple of years I've been reading, enjoying and have sometimes been inspired to cook from a number of lovely food-related weblogs. I often hear a nagging voice in the back of my mind, "Gee, why don't I do that too..." The idea of having my own little baby blog itched at me, but has remained for a while, percolating inside my head rather than springing forth. Well, boys and girls, I've finally decided to let it out.

So today -- the day we finally got our first true winter snowfall of the season here in New York -- seems as good a day as any. Especially since I decided that a snow day necessitates a good dessert, and I made chocolate pudding. Not just any chocolate pudding, mind you, but the one that makes your heart go pit-a-pat -- partly because it makes you remember the puddings of childhood, but also because it has a totally artery-clogging cap of whipped heavy cream. And it's made of real chocolate, and sugar, and whole milk, although you could play around here with 1 or 2% milk if you wanted to, I suppose. And you can play with the degree of chocolatiness too. I use 70% or 85% cocoa solids chocolate -- either Scharffen Berger or Lindt or Valrhona. The bitterness provides such a wonderful counterpoint to the fluffy vanilla or boozily rummy whipped cream. But you might not like such a densely, darkly chocolate undertaking, preferring to go for something that recalls more of a Jello Pudding experience -- which is certainly what we had when we were kids, and a big treat we thought it, too. So in that case go for the semisweet...

Old Fashioned Chocolate Pudding

This recipe has evolved over a period of years from an attempt to turn a cornstarch-based vanilla blancmange into chocolate pudding. It took a while to get the proportions exactly right. I know the ingredients don't look like much, but somehow the result is greater than the sum of its parts.

What I've listed below makes quite a lot, so you can cut it in half if it sounds like too much. It's my favorite comfort dessert, so I tend to make an extra-large batch. The quantities below make about 8 servings.

6 oz. best bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 cups organic whole milk
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla (I love love love Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Pure Bourbon Vanilla)

1 1/2 cups organic heavy cream (we get this great stuff from Jersey cows that's thick and almost yellow)
1 teaspoon vanilla and/or 1 Tbsp. rum
2 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar and salt. Slowly add 1/2 cup of cold milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Heat the remaining 3 1/2 cups of the milk to just below boiling in a large saucepan. Turn off heat, stir in chocolate, and let it melt thoroughly. Whisk the chocolate and milk together well. Stir about 1/2 cup of this hot mixture into the cornstarch paste, whisking to insure that it stays smooth. Pour it all back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and chocolate, stirring constantly. Heat gently until the mixture is just boiling, stirring until it thickens to a custard consistency, and unctuously (don't you love that word?) coats your wooden spoon. Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla.

Pour into a large serving dish, or into individual ramekins or bowls. Let cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until chilled. Whip the chilled cream until stiff, beating in the sugar and vanilla or rum. Top the large pudding with cream, or dollop it on top of individual servings, and enjoy.

Comments

[Caroline(creaturecomforts)]

So far, so brilliant. You've done what you've always wanted to do and succeeded. Well Done I shall be keeping up with your blogs. Go Julie!

[Kelli]

Yay, Julie! Congrats on your "new baby!"

The pudding sounds yummy. I, too, love sweet, cozy foods on stormy days. As you know from my blog, the colder and snowier it is, the more I bake!