Five Chocolate Pudding Recipes from the New York Times and La Tartine Gourmande

I adore custards for their smoothness and velvety texture. From what I read this morning, custards produce the best chocolate puddings in the world.

In the United States, many Chefs wrote on their menu Pudding instead of Pot de crème to trigger the emotional connection that people have with puddings. But the best puddings are in reality Pot de Crème, a French recipe. In Quebec, we will call it Pot de crème.

I am showing you again the delicious Chocolate pot-de-crème, caramel and Maldon salt that my husband enjoyed at Laloux last winter.

Custard is a creamy preparation made with eggs and cream or milk, thickened with heat. Some recipes call for a bain-marie (double boiler) while other do it on a skillet. But one thing for sure, always melt your chocolate in a double boiler.

Not your Grand Mother Pudding Recipe

Melissa Clark wrote an article about her quest for the perfect chocolate pudding at home.

Melissa started by saying that she imagined an idyllic US grand mother all her life but now she had to switch her mind to a French Grandma. When she learned the trick about the Pot de crème, she decided to try 4 recipes involving custards in one way or another.

• A modified pudding recipe: Milk Chocolate-Banana Pudding – New York Times
• The real thing: Extra-Bittersweet Chocolate Pots de Crème – New York Times
• The most exotic: Dark Chocolate Flan with New Mexican Chili, Cinnamon and Pepita Praline – New York Times
• The easiest: Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream with Salted Cashews – New York Times

Dark Chocolate Custard

While we are on the subject, I could not resist spotlighting a recipe from Béatrice of La Tartine Gourmande. She is the master of little pots after all. And I was curious to see how a French expatriate living in Boston makes her custard.

One important trick given by Béa with her Dark Chocolate Custard recipe is how to save your custard. If you let it boil, your ruin your custard. But all you need to do are a few simple steps to make your custard smooth and creamy again.

Serving a chocolate custard or pudding with fresh fruits instead of whipped cream makes the dish not only healthier but lighter. With temperature rising, that freshness will be welcome at the dining table.

What do you think?

Any of these 5 recipes would make a delightful dessert for your family and your guests. Which recipe inspires you the most? Do you have a trick of your own?

>>> Sourcing:
Via: You Call That Pudding, Grandma? by Melissa Clark [New York Times] – photo by Francesco Tonelli
Recipe: Giving in to Dark Chocolate Custard – Craquer pour un pot de crème au chocolat noir [La Tartine Gourmande] – photo by Béatrice Peltre
Middle Picture: Pot de crème at Laloux – photo by Kim Vallée