Steamed Chocolate Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 cup breadcrumb, plus
• 1 teaspoon fine breadcrumb
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• butter, for coating the mold
• fine dry breadcrumb, for coating the mold
• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 10 ounces frozen raspberries, thawed

Recipe

• 1 in a double broiler, melt the chocolate over hot, not simmering water, stirring until smooth; then remove from the heat and cool to lukewarm.
• 2 in a small bowl, combine the almonds and bread crumbs.
• 3 in a large mixing bowl, cream the butter.
• 4 gradually beat in the sugar, then the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• 5 beat in the cooked chocolate, then the nut-crumb mixture.
• 6 stir until blended.
• 7 coat a 3 to 4 cup mold with butter, then with bread crumbs, shaking out any excess.
• 8 bring a pan of water, in which the mold will fit comfortably, to a simmer.
• 9 beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
• 10 stir a large dollop of the whites into the chocolate mixture, beating vigorously.
• 11 fold the remaining whites into the mixture and spoon the batter gently into the prepared mold, no more then 3/4 full.
• 12 cover tightly with a piece of buttered foil, then with a pot lid of a suitable size.
• 13 place the covered mold in the pan of simmering water, adding water, if necessary, so that is comes up to the level of the pudding batter.
• 14 simmer on top of the stove from 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• 15 the pudding is done when it is still slightly moist in the center, and the sides are quite dry and almost firm.
• 16 meanwhile, prepare the garnishes:.
• 17 whip the cream with the confectioners sugar until soft peaks form.
• 18 puree the raspberries in a blender or food precessor and then strain to remove the seeds.
• 19 when the pudding is done, unmold it carefully and serve it hot with the whipped cream and raspberry puree.