Thursday, March 19, 2009

Brownie Pudding--Barefoot Bloggers Optional Recipe

Our second optional Barefoot Bloggers recipe for March, is Ina's Brownie Pudding, picked by Tia of Southern Eh?  Brownie Pudding is not something I can make healthy, but I have been pretty good so we will focus on small indulgences. I made half of the recipe, and made it in small ramekins for portion control and sharing. After all, a girl can't live on broccolini and quinoa alone!


This recipe can be found in Barefoot Contessa; Back to Basics (page 218) or at the Food Network site, here.

Brownie Pudding
Barefoot Contessa; Back to Basics
(6 Servings)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
1 tablespoon framboise liqueur, optional
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.


Notes/Results: Rich, chocolaty and very decadent, this one is for the extreme chocoholic and a bit too rich for me, I think. I used a dark, Valrhona Cacao Powder that a friend gave me, and I think that made it even richer. I put my half recipe into three ramekins, baked them about 30 minutes and they had the perfect gooey center and chewy, brownie-like edges that Ina promised. I loved the texture but I couldn't quite finish mine, it was just too much. The small scoop of vanilla yogurt I served with it, helped a bit, but for me, I am happier with just a small piece of good quality choclate to splurge on. 


Thanks to Tia for picking a decadent, indulgent chocolate treat that was fun to try. You can see which Barefoot Bloggers made this optional recipe and what they thought about it on the "Whose Turn Is It?"  page here

14 comments:

  1. Now wait a minute,
    let me sit down.
    Too chocolatey for you???
    Wow. That must be some chocolatey pudding.
    Thanks for the heads up, if I make it I will do micro minis!
    Looks great though, I am especially fond of that spoon.

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  2. (That spoon is way way cool!) And wow...this looks so sinful. I've been trying to decide whether or not to make it...if I do, I think I'll halve it as well. Yum.

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  3. We did the same thing...I loved the mini size! Nicely done and I agree it was a wonderful indulgence!!!!

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  4. Love your photos! Halving it was a great idea as I have way to much left over!

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  5. Ah, good idea to divide it into ramekins. I'm waiting to make it for company this weekend, so I can spread the love around a little. ;)

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  6. Whew. I didn't cut back on anything this time either. I liked the strawberries I served mine with better than the actual pudding. I'm just not a chocolate person.

    ~Delta Whiskey

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  7. We really loved this - but maybe our cocoa was not over-the-top chocolatey (or maybe we just like it that way?)

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  8. Natahya--amazing isn't it?!

    girlichef--thanks! The spoon is one of my favorites-a little set of 4 I giot in Japan.

    Jennifer--mini is the way to go!

    Kat--it was VERY rich.

    Cheri-I think a full recipe would have killed me! ;-)

    Rebecca--it is so rich that spreading the love is a good idea!

    Delta-I am a chocolate fan and it was a bit too much for me

    Duo--Thanks!

    Suzie--it was good but just a bit too rich for my blood! Glad you enjoyed it.

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  9. It does look very dark and decadent. Extreme chocolate!

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  10. Too chocolatey??? There is no such a thing. I must try this!

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  11. We thought this was divine! I think I could live on this alone!

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  12. This recipe is really going to keep me busy in the kitchen with all its glamor.
    This is another must for the weekend! My kids would just hug me for this.

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