This recipe makes me feel very sophisticated and very French, particularly if I serve it in small, elegant coffee cups. I can easily imagine myself as a very chic Parisian Madame as I eat it. It doesn’t need cream as the hint of salt cuts through the richness of the chocolate The caramel element adds a lusciousness and depth that is often missing from mousses. It can be dressed up with almond biscuits or berries or even a madeleine on the side – this time I added a mini chocolate praline egg for Easter For entertaining it is a perfect recipe as it can be made in advance and keeps – providing you can repel marauders – for up to a week in the fridge. In my opinion its intensity probably makes it a pudding more suited to grown ups, but lots of children have such sophisticated palates nowadays I wouldn’t like to count them out!!
Now this isn’t one of my creations, not even a recipe I have tweaked, as it belongs to the wonderful David Lebovitz, whose food blog, based in Paris, is one I follow eagerly. He is an American who writes such evocative posts and photographs that are a delight on their own even before you get the recipes that inspire him ……. I would strongly recommend following him, particularly if French food interests you His website is http://www.davidlebovitz.com
This particular recipe isn’t difficult and after the first spoonful you’ll be wondering why you ever made any other chocolate pudding at all….
Ingredients
- 100g granulated sugar
- 50g salted butter, cubed
- 180ml double cream
- 170g dark 70% chocolate, chopped
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1/4 tsp flakey sea salt, Maldon or, by preference, fleur de sel
Method
- Put granulated sugar in bottom of a heavy pan and over a medium heat wait until it forms an amber caramel
- Add the butter and stir in to halt the cooking process and then stir in the double cream. It may take some time for it to amalgamate stirring constantly. Dont despair, return to heat if necessary to help it all come together.
- Mix well before adding chocolate and combining
- When mixture has cooled to blood temperature add the egg yolks
- Whip egg whites with the salt until soft peaks are formed and fold into chocolate mixture
- pour into small glasses or coffee cups and chill for a minimum of 4 hours
- Serve with a couple of flakes of sea salt on top if desired
Bliss ….