CHOCOLATE COOKBOOK
Chocolate Recipes and Cooking Tips

DECEMBER 16, 2005

From The Editor

Puddings have always been associated with the Holidays. For a twist on the traditional puddings, try our recipes for these little, individual chocolaty puddings. Happy Holidays!

Warm Regards,
Lata Tokhi
Founder, Dot Com Women

CHOCOLATE PUDDING RECIPES

Chocolate Walnut and Maple Puddings

150g unsalted butter softened
175g light muscovado sugar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
25g plain white flour
4 tbsp cocoa powder
5 eggs separated
125g ground almonds
50g breadcrumbs
50g shelled walnuts chopped

To serve:
maple syrup extra chopped walnuts for sprinkling

Grease eight 150ml individual pudding basins and line the bases with greaseproof paper.
In a bowl cream the butter with 50g of the sugar and the nutmeg until fluffy.
Sift the flour and cocoa into the bowl.
Add the egg yolks ground almonds breadcrumbs and walnuts; stir until just combined.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Gradually whisk in the remaining sugar. Fold a quarter into the chocolate mixture to lighten it using a metal spoon. Carefully fold in the remaining mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared basins filling them no more than two thirds full.
Stand the pudding basins in the large roasting tin and pour in sufficient boiling water to give a 10mm depth.
Cover the tin with a sheet of foil tucking the edges into the water around the puddings.
Hang the tin from the fourth set of runners in the roasting oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the puddings feel firm.
Loosen the edges of the puddings with a knife and turn out onto warmed serving plates.
Drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
Serve with cr??me fraiche or vanilla custard.

These puddings can be baked from frozen allowing an extra 5 minutes. Unlike most steamed puds these pretty individual ones are made from a whisked mixture of eggs cocoa walnuts and ground almonds resulting in an exceptionally light souffl?© like texture. Serve with a generous spoonful of cr??me fraiche.

Serves 6

Chocolate Puddings with White Chocolate Custard

125g half fat butter plus a little extra for greasing
25g hazelnuts
75g soft brown (muscovado) sugar
75g self raising flour
1/2 level tsp baking powder
2 level tbsp cocoa powder plus extra for dusting
25g plain chocolate roughly chopped
2 large eggs beaten
4 level tsp custard powder
4 level tsp sugar
450ml skimmed milk
40g white chocolate drops

Grease and baseline six 120 to 150ml ramekins with nonstick baking parchment. lightly brown the hazelnuts in a roasting tin on the bottom runners of the baking oven for 4 t 10 minutes (watch them carefully so they do not burn) cool and roughly chop.
Place the butter and sugar in a pan and heat gently until combined.
Cool.
Sift the flour baking powder and cocoa into a bowl.
Stir in the nuts and chocolate.
Make a well in the centre; pour in the butter mixture and eggs and beat well.
Pour into the ramekins and place in a small roasting tin.
Bake at the front of the roasting oven on the bottom runners with a cold plain shelf
above on the second runners for 40-45  minutes or until just firm to the touch.
Cool slightly and tom out; keep warm for 15 to 20 minutes in the simmering oven.
Meanwhile place the custard powder and sugar in a bowl; add enough milk to make a smooth paste.
Heat the remaining milk until almost boiling pour into the custard powder then return to the pan.
Add the white chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted and the custard thickened.
Just before serving whisk the custard until foaming.
Trim the top from each pudding; place upside down in a serving dish.
Dust with cocoa powder pour custard around and serve immediately.

These wonderful dark chocolate individual puddings are a decadent treat.

Serves 6