Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

• 4 large egg yolks $
• 1/2 cup sugar $
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk $
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
• 9 ounces (2 cups) chopped bittersweet chocolate (not chocolate chips)
• 2 teaspoons sugar $
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract $

Preparation

1. 1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl until blended.
2. 2. Combine milk and 1 cup cream in medium saucepan, and cook over medium heat until hot. Gradually pour hot milk mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant spatula, for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats the spatula or until candy thermometer reads 180°.
3. 3. Remove saucepan from heat. Add chocolate, and let stand 10 seconds; whisk until smooth. Transfer chocolate cream to a clean bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours.
4. 4. Combine remaining 1/2 cup cream, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. (Do not overbeat.) Dollop onto each serving of pudding.
5. *Serving suggestion: Divide half the whipped cream evenly among six wineglasses. Spoon about 2/3 cup chocolate pudding over the cream in each glass, and top with remaining whipped cream.