Monday, April 30, 2012

Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Pudding





From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...What do you have a taste for? Today's adventure started with that simple question. The answer came quickly and was as straightforward as the question. It turns out, he wanted something made with chocolate and peanuts. Peanuts were out, but I knew I could make him something that was more easily digestible yet still peanut flavored. Last year, I made a special dessert from a recipe that I had found in Bon Appetit magazine. It was a layered pudding that contained chocolate, peanut butter and whipped cream. I'd love to tell you, we loved that pudding, but, truth be told, it was simply too rich for our palates. The first bite was delicious, but the pudding quickly became cloying and its creaminess left an unpleasant coating on the tongue. Normally, I would have tossed the recipe, but the taste of that first bite was so extraordinary it convinced me that the pudding was worth saving. I did some experimenting and by eliminating the heavy cream I was able to make something we really liked. Now I must tell you there are folks out there who love the richness of the original dessert. For that reason, the recipe that appears below is an exact copy of the one that appeared in the magazine. I used only milk in the pudding layers I made tonight  and cut way back on the amount of cream I used to top them. I effectively ditched the richness but kept the flavor of the combination we like so much. If you like puddings, I hope you'll give this dessert a try. Here's the original recipe.


Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine

Ingredients:
Peanut Butter Pudding
1/2 cup sugar
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup creamy (smooth) natural peanut butter (made with only peanuts and salt)*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Pudding
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces imported milk chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped Cream Topping
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions:

1) To make peanut butter pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan. Slowly add milk and cream. Place pan over medium heat and whisk until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Add peanut butter and boil, whisking often, until mixture thickens again, about 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Place 1/3 cup pudding in each of six 1-cup dessert glasses. Chill while preparing chocolate pudding.
2) To make chocolate pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, unsweetened cocoa powder and salt in a heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and cream. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to boil. Boil until thick, whisking constantly, about 30 seconds. Add chopped chocolate. Boil until chocolate melts and pudding is thick again, whisking often, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat; whisk in vanilla. Cool pudding 5 minutes. Spoon 1/3 cup chocolate pudding over peanut butter layer in each dessert glass. Chill puddings, uncovered, until cold, at least 2 hours. To keep overnight, cover with plastic wrap.
3) To make whipped cream topping: Whisk cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Spoon topping over pudding and serve.Yield: 6 servings.









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31 comments :

mia xara said...

Hi Mary,I just love your pudding! Peanut butter and chocolate is the perfect combination!Have a great week!

Teri said...

Thank you for your nice words when you visited my blog! I'm glad you stopped by. I love this peanut butter and chocolate pudding you made. Although, I can see what you mean about the ingredients being rather sweet, it sure is the perfect combination. It looks beautiful in the glass layered so nicely. I am a new follower, and I am looking forward to getting to know you and your blog!

Katarina said...

This looks really beautiful and delicious!

Tanna said...

Yum. Reese's in a cup! =D

blessings ~ tanna

Kim said...

I love this dessert. It's simple and the presentation is awesome! Sometimes I like when there is cream in pudding but only with flavor like lemon, for example! With chocolate, it's definitly too rich, I agree with you!

From the Kitchen said...

two of my favorite flavors. i'll save this to treat the baker as i owe him big time.

best,
bonnie

Ambreen (Simply Sweet n Savory) said...

WOW! This looks really irresistible.

Unknown said...

Peanut butter and chocolate were meant for each other!! YUM!

Sue/the view from great island said...

Looks yummy Mary---I like your healthy improvements to the original! Hope Bob is doing well.

Martha said...

mmmm, we love the peanut butter/chocolate combo! This looks yummy!

sonia said...

Wonder if I could sub sunflower butter for peanut? My daughter's allergic but this looks so scrumptious!

Tricia @ saving room for dessert said...

One of my favorite flavor combinations in the whole world! Yum! Reminds me of those old Jello-O pudding things from the box. Three layers - but of course your's looks sooooo much better!

Claudia said...

Funny - I just made something yesterday that was too rich for me - but husband and son scarfed it up. This is such a winning combo - and making it a wee bight lighter just makes it more welcoming.

Suzie said...

Though I'm not a fan of sweets this looks really good. I think my son would be a fan though :)

Unknown said...

Your photo is wonderful and very enticing, Mary. I do think I would like your edited version a bit better especially for the sake of health and "girlish figures" :)

Crunchy Creamy Sweet said...

I love the layered look of this dessert! Sounds delicious!

Judy@SavoringToday said...

Peanut butter and chocolate go together even better than peas and carrots -- love that combo! This look rich and satisfying for a special dessert.

SImple and Serene Living said...

Is there anything better than peanut butter and chocolate :)

Rita said...

Love this combination; looks very regal.
Rita

Jane said...

This looks so wonderful - what a gorgeous picture! I agree it can be a little rich -- I love your variation! My husband's birthday is coming up -- I might have to make this for him!

Valérie said...

Yum! Funny coincidence, just yesterday I finally got around to satisfying that peanut butter and chocolate craving I've been having for weeks. I chose to do it with a brownie batch, but this pudding would most likely have done the trick too!

Barbara said...

Sort of a verrine, Mary. :)
I am one of the few who do NOT like chocolate and peanut butter together. Someone who doesn't like Reese's. Horrors! But it sure looks good.

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

It certainly looks extraordinary - I think my mental tastebuds are already beyond that first bite!

Baking Addict said...

I love peanut butter and chocolate! This looks rich and decadent.

Ginny Hartzler said...

This looks so yummy, but still plenty rich!!

A PaixĂ£o da Isa said...

humm que delicia mas que maravilha esta mt mas mt bonito e o gosto deve estar hummm parabens bjs

Lenia said...

This is what I call mouthwatering!Blessings,dear!

Joanne said...

sounds like The Silver Fox and I have very similar tastes! I would have requested something like this as well!

Rambling Tart said...

Absolutely heavenly! I've been craving pudding something fierce for the last week. I'd love to sink my spoon into this. :-)

Dining Alone said...

Well lucky him, that looks delicious. Peanut and butter and chocolate are one of my favorite combos ever.

Amalia said...

Wow, what a stunner! I love those nice, thick, beautiful layers! And peanut butter pudding? Holy cow!! That's got to be a huge explosion of flavor in your mouth :) But I can see how it might be really rich, I can't eat a lot of puddings because of that very reason. But gosh, this is something I would definitely eat!

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