Sugar Cube (23 page)

These rich, silky puddings are outrageously, shamelessly, sinfully good. You have to serve them in small portions; otherwise their richness turns pleasure into pain. They’re easy to make, can be made ahead, and are so incredibly impressive that you can whip them up for any occasion. For a fluffy flavor contrast, I top them with malted whipped cream, then add a few shards of crisped rice and Spanish peanut white-chocolate bark.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS

• 2 cups heavy cream
  
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  cup sugar
  
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  teaspoon sea salt
  
• 5 large egg yolks
  
• 12 ounces high-quality (40 to 49 percent cacao) milk chocolate, finely chopped
  

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
  
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  cup crisped rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
  
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  cup plus 1 tablespoon toasted and lightly salted spanish peanuts, chopped
  

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  cup heavy cream
  
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  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• 2 tablespoons Carnation malted milk powder
  
• 1 tablespoon plus 1
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  teaspoons sugar
  

• TO MAKE THE PUDDINGS:
  In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Put the chopped chocolate in a separate large mixing bowl and put a fine-mesh sieve on top.
  
• WHEN THE CREAM BEGINS TO BOIL
  , remove it from the heat and whisk about
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  cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks to temper them. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the cream and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. (To check, dip the spoon in the custard, hold it horizontally, then run your finger across it from the tip to the handle. The custard should be thick enough to not bleed through the line for at least several seconds.)
  
• POUR THE CUSTARD
  through the fine-mesh sieve over the bowl of chopped chocolate. Let stand for several minutes to melt the chocolate, then whisk together until smooth. Divide the pudding among eight 2- to 3-ounce ramekins. (If you only have 4-ounce ramekins, just fill them about halfway.) Tap each lightly on the counter to remove any air bubbles and refrigerate them until set, several hours. (If you like, you can serve them immediately. They will have the flavor and texture of warm, thick chocolate pudding.)
  
• TO MAKE THE BARK:
  In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave (about four 45-second bursts, stirring between each). Stir in the crisped rice and peanuts. Pour the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread it into a thin layer (about
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  inch thick). Chill in the refrigerator until firm, 20 to 30 minutes, then break it up into small shards. (You can make this ahead; just store it in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 1 week.)
  
• TO MAKE THE MALTED WHIPPED CREAM:
  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the cream, vanilla, malt powder, and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until medium-stiff peaks form.
  
• LET THE CUSTARDS
  stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes (or microwave at 50 percent power for 20 to 30 seconds until slightly soft). Top with a dollop of the malted whipped cream, then insert a shard or two of the bark and serve.
  

•
To quickly chop chocolate into fine pieces, just whiz chunks (about 1 inch or so) of chocolate in a food processor.

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Be sure to use high-quality milk chocolate, such as Scharffen Berger or Felchlin Maracaibo 49 percent. There’s a lot of mediocre milk chocolate out there, and this recipe depends on the good stuff.

Root beer floats (we called them black cows) were one of my favorite summertime desserts when I was growing up in the Midwest, so I decided to give the flavors a grown-up spin in a dessert that would be fantastic for a backyard barbeque. The creamy texture of the panna cotta is truly ethereal. and the root beer drizzle adds a playful touch. I like to garnish these with a freshly baked Oh Snap! Gingersnap Cookie to add a crispy element that ties everything together—and has the added bonus of standing in as a spoon! Even though the components sound fancy, they’re quick and easy to make. The only trick is planning ahead, because each needs a few hours to set up.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS

• 4 cups heavy cream
  
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  cup sugar
  
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  teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1 vanilla bean
  
• 3 tablespoons cold water
  
• 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
  

• Two 12-ounce bottles root beer (such as Henry Weinhard’s Draught Style)
  
• 2 heaping teaspoons peeled, grated fresh ginger
  
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  teaspoon sea salt
  
• 2 tablespoons Blackstrap molasses
  
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  vanilla bean
  
• Fresh Whoop
  for garnish (optional)
  
• Oh Snap! Gingersnap Cookies
  for garnish (optional)
  

• TO MAKE THE PANNA COTTA:
  Place eight 4-ounce ramekins or 4-ounce wide-mouth canning jars in the fridge. (Chilling the cups helps the panna cotta set faster.)
  
• IN A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN
  , combine the cream, sugar, and salt. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Add to the pan along with the pod and gently bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally (do not boil).
  
• WHILE THE CREAM IS HEATING
  , pour the cold water into a medium bowl and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top (you’ll be putting some cream in the bowl, so it needs to be big enough). Let stand (don’t stir) until the gelatin has absorbed the water, at least 5 minutes.
  
• WHEN THE CREAM BEGINS TO SIMMER
  , remove it from the heat and remove the vanilla bean pod. (Don’t discard it. Rinse, let dry, and save for another use.) Add some of the cream to the bowl of gelatin and whisk until melted. Pour the mixture into the saucepan and whisk thoroughly. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large liquid measuring cup or bowl with a pouring spout.
  
• DIVIDE THE MIXTURE
  equally among the chilled ramekins or jars. Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least several hours. (It should have the texture of a soft pudding. The panna cottas can be made up to 1 week in advance, but be sure to cover them with plastic wrap if refrigerating for more than a couple of hours; otherwise they’ll get dried out.)
  
• TO MAKE THE DRIZZLE:
  In a medium saucepan, combine the root beer, ginger, salt, and molasses. Split the piece of vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife and add to the pan along with the pod. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil until reduced to
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  cup, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and let cool.
  
• TO SERVE
  , drizzle each panna cotta with 1 tablespoon of the root beer drizzle and garnish with the whoop and a gingersnap cookie, if desired.
  

I
Panna Cotta

What is panna cotta? I get asked this a lot at my cart, and I’m always happy to evangelize about this super-simple yet amazing Italian “cooked cream.” Unlike most custards, such as crème caramel, pôt de crème, or crème brûlée, panna cotta is set with gelatin instead of eggs. I love those custards, but the eggs mean they can curdle easily and require a long, slow bake in a water bath. Panna cotta, by contrast, is quick to put together, plays well with all kinds of flavorings, and is practically foolproof.