Chocolate Puddino

Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 5 min
Servings: 6
Yield: 6 servings

Description

Chef John's rich and delicious chocolate pudding delivers an intense chocolate flavor with just the right amount of sweetness in every smooth, silky bite!

Ingredients

8 ounces dark chocolate chips
1 pinch salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
6 large eggs
1/3 cup white sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste
2 tablespoons shaved dark chocolate, or to taste

Directions

1 Combine chocolate chips, salt, and cayenne in a heat-proof measuring cup; set aside.
2 Separate eggs by cracking one egg into your hand over a bowl. Open your fingers slightly and gently jiggle your hand until the egg white falls into the bowl below. Transfer the yolk to a skillet. Repeat with remaining eggs. Reserve egg whites for another use.
3 Add sugar, milk, and cream to egg yolks. Whisk thoroughly, breaking egg yolks first, until well combined.
4 Place skillet on the stove over medium or medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spoon, until very hot and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read at least 175 degrees F (79 degrees C). Remove from the heat.
5 Set a fine sieve over the bowl of reserved chocolate. Strain the custard sauce into the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Whisk until chocolate has melted and custard sauce is smooth and shiny, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and butter; stir until butter has melted, about 1 minute.
6 Pour warm custard sauce into 6 serving glasses. Tilt each glass and rotate it around so the warm chocolate coats another 1/2 inch of the glass. Cover with plastic and place in the refrigerator until completely chilled, at least 3 to 4 hours.
7 Combine cream and vanilla extract for topping in a metal bowl and whisk until thickened; make sure no peaks form. Spoon cream into the glasses, then tilt and twirl to coat the sides a bit.
8 Garnish with shaved chocolate and serve.