Warm Chocolate Pudding with Rich Chocolate Sauce
Warm Chocolate Pudding with Rich Chocolate Sauce
INGREDIENTS
160g good quality dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa solids
200g unsalted butter
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
30g caster sugar
30g plain flour
1 tsp of cocoa powder for dusting
METHOD
1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
2. Remove from the heat once fully melted and beat with a whisk until shiny and smooth.
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together and fold into the chocolate mixture.
4. Sift the flour in bit at a time, folding to achieve a smooth mixture.
5. Brush six metal pudding moulds with melted butter and add a teaspoon of cocoa to one pudding mould.
6. Turn the mould around until the inside is completely coated with cocoa and tip the excess cocoa into the next mould and repeat until all the moulds are coated.
7. Place the pudding mixture into the moulds. These can then be refrigerated for up to 48 hours.
8. Place into a hot oven (175C) for 8 -10 minutes. The puddings should be slightly runny in the centre.
Chocolate Sauce
INGREDIENTS
65g cocoa powder
180g sugar
250ml water
25g unsalted butter
METHOD
1. Mix the dry cocoa and sugar together until all the sugar is coated, this prevents the cocoa going lumpy.
2. Place in a pan with the water and bring to simmer for 4 minutes.
3. Add the butter and whisk until melted and shiny. Boil again and serve with the puddings and a good quality ice cream of your choice.
Christmas pudding
Serves 8-10 portions. Cook in a
1 litre (2pt) basin
INGREDIENTS
100g shredded suet
50g self-raising flour
100g white or brown breadcrumbs
1tsp mixed spice
¼tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
200g soft dark brown sugar
100g sultanas
100g raisins
100g currants
25g mixed chopped candied peel
25g ground almonds
75g cooking apples peeled and chopped
grated zest of ½ orange
grated zest of ½ lemon
2 eggs
70ml barley wine
70ml Guinness
2tbsp dark rum
METHOD
1. Place all the dried fruit, with added candied peel in a mixing bowl, and soak overnight with the barley wine, Guinness and rum.
2. Sift the flour with the mixed spice, nutmeg and cinnamon.
3. Add breadcrumbs, suet and sugar to the flour.
4. Drain the fruit from the alcohol. Add to the flour along with the nuts, apple and grated zest.
5. In a separate basin, beat the eggs with the alcohol.
6. Add the dried fruit to the flour, and mix thoroughly with all the other ingredients.
7. Pack into a lightly greased basin, 1 litre (2 pt).
8. Cover with a sheet of silicone and aluminium foil. Secure well.
9. Steam for 8 hours.
10. Remove from steamer and allow to cool, remove foil and silicone, replace with fresh.
11 Serve with rum and brandy sauce.
Stollen
INGREDIENTS (for 2 loaves)
30g yeast
110ml whole milk
340g bread flour
150g butter, softened
45g granulated sugar
1tsp salt
35g candied fruit peel
Zest of half a lemon
Zest of half an orange
225g raisins
50g almonds
25g pecans
25g walnuts
Vanilla sugar
Powdered sugar, for finishing
METHOD
1. Mix the yeast, milk, and approximately one-third of the flour together. Set aside and allow the dough mix to double in size.
2. Combine the mix with the remaining flour, butter, sugar, and salt.
3. Add the fruits and nuts by hand just to combine.
4. Allow the dough to double in size again.
5. Shape the dough into a football shape.
6. Press the centre, the long way, with a rolling pin and roll the dough slightly.
7. Fold one edge to the centre and seal the fold.
8. Place the loaf on a parchment-lined baking tray.
9. Prove until 1/3 larger in size then bake at 180C until dark brown.
10. Brush on all sides with melted butter and dredge in vanilla sugar.
Ferstive Tipples
Chateau D'Orignac AOC Pineau des Charentes, France (£15.50 www.thewinesociety.com)
This golden elixir is the perfect sweet brandy to pair with a flaming pud. A blend of eau-de-vie and grape juice from the Cognac region, this Pineau spends at least five years in oak and should be served well-chilled to truly appreciate the zip of apricots poached in syrup and delicate caramel and honey notes.
Chateau Barbier Sauternes 2005, France (£9.99, 37.5cl, www.virginwines.co.uk)
This delectable Bordeaux blonde from an outstanding vintage will complement puddings perfectly. It is pure nectar with potent notes of honey, orange blossom and exotic candied fruits, and the sweetness and richness are balanced by a good acidity on the silky finish.
Brown Brothers Orange Flora Muscat 2012, Victoria, Australia (£7.49, 37.5cl, Waitrose)
Young and ever-so-slightly effervescent, this little gem from Down Under is tinged with tropical fruit with the medley of zesty citrus and subtle spice keeping it fresh, floral and fun. Uber delicious, serve well-chilled for a final flourish with mince pies.
DECANTER magazine have named Faustino 1 Gran Reserva 2001, Spain (down from £17.99 to £13.99 until January 1 at Sainsbury's) their top wine of 2013.
A trio of tempranillo, graciano and mazuelo grapes, it scored 19.25 points out of a possible 20 in blind tastings to earn its top position as both the highest-scoring and best-value wine.
Judges said is was: "A restrained, mineral style with relevant tannins. Youthful and fresh, feminine and complex. Deliciously decadent with extraordinary vitality in the palate and a long finish. A jewel at this price point."
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article