Retro Chocolate Sponge Pudding With Chocolate Custard Recipes

CHOCOLATE SPONGE PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray the insides of the ramekins with cooking spray. Distribute 1 tablespoon sugar among the 4 ramekins to coat.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and remaining 1/3 cup sugar with a handheld mixer until the yolks are pale yellow and the sugar dissolves. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, and salt. In another small bowl, combine the vanilla and milk. Add half the cocoa mixture to the eggs followed by half the milk mixture, beat until smooth, and then add the remaining cocoa and milk mixtures.
• In a small, clean bowl with clean beaters, whip the egg whites until stiff. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until incorporated. Be careful to not mix the air out of the egg whites. Divide among the ramekins. Place the ramekins in baking pan and carefully fill the pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the cakes have risen and the centers spring back at a gentle touch, 15 to 17 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and brown sugar and set aside.
• When the puddings are done, remove from the water and serve with a dollop of sweetened sour cream and a sprinkle of orange zest. Serve warm.

THE REAL NO-GUILT CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Place the avocados, cocoa powder, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor, and blend until smooth and creamy. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to make the pudding the desired consistency. Eat right away, or chill and serve cold.

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a double boiler or metal bowl over simmering water, heat the milk, butter and chocolate until chocolate is melted (chocolate may appear curdled)., Combine sugar, flour and salt. Sprinkle over chocolate mixture (do not stir). Cover and continue to cook in a double boiler over medium-low heat, 20 minutes. With a wooden spoon, stir until smooth. Remove from the heat., Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and a thermometer reads 160°. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to dessert dishes., Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. If desired, top with whipped cream.

RETRO CHOCOLATE SPONGE PUDDING WITH CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 20 x 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter, sugar and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl using an electric whisk for 5 mins until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition until incorporated and the mixture is a mousse-like consistency.
• Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa over the wet ingredients, then tip in the milk and fold everything together with a spatula until there are no floury streaks remaining.
• Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface with the spatula. Bake for 40 mins, then check the sponge is cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre. If it comes out with any sticky cake mixture attached, return the sponge to the oven for another 5-10 mins and check again. Leave to cool slightly in the tin. To freeze, leave to cool completely, then wrap well and freeze for up to two months. Defrost at room temperature, then reheat as stated in the tip below.
• Meanwhile, make the custard. Heat the cream and milk in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat - don't let it boil. Combine the cornflour, sugar and cocoa in a large bowl, then whisk in the eggs and yolks, one at a time, until you have a smooth paste. When the cream mixture is hot and steaming, pour a splash into the cocoa paste to loosen it, then tip this back into the cream mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring continuously until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon - you should be able to draw a line through the custard on the back of the spoon using your fingertip. Remove from the heat and sieve the custard into a jug to remove any lumps. Cover the surface with a circle of baking parchment to prevent a skin forming. Cut the warm sponge into squares and serve with the custard for pouring over.

STEAMED CHOCOLATE SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 5-cup pudding bowl, and set aside.
• Combine 5 tablespoons sugar with salt, flour, and cocoa in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Combine chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl, and melt over simmering water.
• In a small saucepan, bring milk just to a simmer. Immediately add to chocolate mixture. Beat egg yolks. Stir a little chocolate mixture into yolks; add yolks to mixture. Add vanilla; stir until well combined. Stir into flour mixture.
• Beat whites with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar until stiff, and fold into batter. Pour into pudding bowl, and place on a rack in a deep roasting pan. Pour boiling water into pan halfway up the sides of the bowl. Bake until pudding is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Add boiling water to pan as necessary to maintain water level.
• Let cool slightly in the bowl, and invert onto a plate. Garnish with hazelnuts.