Wednesday, February 13, 2008

What's Cooking Wednesday: Jen's Chocolate Custard



So... in honor of Valentine's Day, I give you my favorite chocolate dessert. Well, almost my favorite, because there are probably more sublime recipes out there, but I love this dessert because it's not going to break the bank in terms of fat or calories, but it is pure dark, rich chocolate with a hint of something beyond.

My whole family loves this.

Another nice thing about it is that it's incredibly easy. The last bonus is that you can flavor it in a myriad of ways.

With no further adieu, my Valentine's gift to you, dear readers:


Jen's Chocolate Custard




Ingredients:



2 cups nonfat milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
2 TBS corn starch
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp rum or liqueur or 1 tsp cinnamon (optional and to taste - I used Grand Marnier for this version)


Directions:



1. Whisk together nonfat milk with cocoa powder, sugar and cornstarch and heat over medium high heat until it comes to a boil and thickens. Whisk often during this process.


2. Take custard off the burner when it comes to a boil.




3. Beat together egg and egg whites. Pour about 1/4 cup of the custard mixture into the eggs and whisk thoroughly to temper the eggs.




4. Pour egg mixture into the rest of the custard. Set back on burner on low heat. Cook 2 - 3 minutes until custard has thickened. Don't let this come to a boil.

5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and whatever other flavoring you've chosen to use.

6. Chill at least 2 hours before serving or serve warm! (It's sweeter served warm and more intensely chocolate served cold)

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info:

Fat: 2.2g
Carbohydrates: 24.8g
Calories:150.0
Protein: 8.3g

As always, nutrition information supplied by the recipe calculator at sparkrecipes.com. And please go to Shan's place for more What's Cooking Wednesday participants.

28 comments:

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

Mmm...looks like we were kind of on the same wavelength this week :)

anno said...

Chocolate AND Grand Marnier? Sounds fabulously decadent!

Anonymous said...

That sounds so amazingly good. Could you use Splenda or something in place of the sugar, do you think? If so, I'm sending the link to my mom, y'know, in case she needs ideas for what to make when the bf and I come to visit.

Luisa Perkins said...

Oh, this is a good idea! Maybe I'll post my favorite chocolate dessert recipe tomorrow.

Mae Travels said...

I make something quite similar but without eggs. For this, it works to do the cooking in a microwave (using the serving container) which makes it much easier, faster, and freer of clean-up. I assume the eggs add a really nice extra flavor -- I don't know if they would be ok in a microwave.

Jen said...

I'm heading over your way to see your chocolate/pepperoncino combination shortly, Michelle!

Oh, it is decadent, Anno. It's absolutely a family fave.

Yes, Lilac, you could probably use splenda. I just don't.

Oh, Luisa, I'd love to see your favorite dessert recipe!

Mae, my mother used to make a microwave custard. I think she *did* use at least egg whites... I think you'd still need the tempering step, though.

Thistlemoon said...

I love custard and this looks just wonderful!

Sai Hijara - Ferraris said...

YUM again! I'm collecting recipes from you, still finding time to do them. ;)

Happy hearts day Jen! I'm glad to meet you here...

Heather said...

Ooh I love Grand Marnier. This looks really wonderful, Jen!

I am inspired to make something chocolatey, but since I'm going out for dinner tomorrow night it will have to wait for the weekend. :(

Rebecca said...

oooh - yummy! I might just give this one a go - doesn't look TOO hard.

Madam Crunchypants said...

looks absolutely delicious. I may need to make this next time Beaker is home to remind him what a good wife I am.

Anonymous said...

mm..that does look yummy

jennifer said...

I've been kinda down lately. This may just cheer me up!

Marianne Arkins said...

Mmmmmm.... I was waiting for this since you mentioned it the other day. Yum, yum, yum...

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, baby! I'm so making that tomorrow. I even have all of the ingredients on hand. mmmmm.... can't wait to try it. :D I'll let you know how it turns out.

Linasolopoesie said...

Today is the feast of love do many good wishes to all of you .... With many Good morning to you !!!!!!

GOOD DAY TO YOU!
If x shots right your way, even if the lot was sometimes adverse there thinking, things do not always go as we would like.

Good morning to you .....
Unless you leave say what to do, accept the weight of your actions and let the voices scorrano like the wind on your cheeks;

Good morning to you ........,
If reason prevails on the heart: a wound to take a long rimanginare, but the reason all the time are the best care ...

HELLO TO ALL .. LINA

La delirante said...

What a lovely Valentine's gift!

Liz Dwyer said...

It looks good and chocolatey. And easy. Maybe I will attempt to not burn up a pot!

Goofball said...

hmm I'd go for plain custard without the chocolate. Yes I know, I have a strange taste.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

Chocolate and Valentine's Day "work" well together. :)

Anonymous said...

So far so good. But I'llhave to wait until tonight to give a full report. :)

Shan said...

That looks so good! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Sister Sassy said...

That looks so yummy but at first I was afraid of it. It looked hard but then reading it looks like maybe I could do it. I made chocolate peacan pie once...maybe I could do this.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

ok, I can say without the slightest reservation that that is some good shit. lol

A Man Among Mommies said...

Mmmmm Chocoooolllllattte!!!!

Doing a little blog hopping with baby..

Alex Elliot said...

That looks delicious!

glamah16 said...

My favorites all in a nice simple dessert. My boyfriend would love this. Thanks for your comments. Now,I too have discovered a great new blog. Like your straight to the point advive in your most recent post.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...custard. Jen, your blog makes me hungry!!!