The pudding in this recipe is set with gelatin instead of eggs, making it very similar to Italian panna cotta. Marinating raw cherries as a topping is a fun way to highlight the fruit during their peak season.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved or quartered
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon bourbon or cherry juice (or use water)
Instructions
- Put 1/4 cup milk in a small dish and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let stand until the gelatin softens and looks wrinkly on top of the milk, 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 cup milk, the heavy cream, 3 tablespoons sugar and the salt in a medium saucepan. Stir the cocoa powder with the hot water in a small bowl until smooth, then add to the saucepan with the heavy cream mixture.
- Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking, until the sugar is dissolved, 3 to 4 minutes. Microwave the gelatin mixture until warm, about 20 seconds, then stir to fully dissolve the gelatin. Pour the gelatin mixture into the saucepan and cook, whisking, until the mixture is smooth and steaming but not boiling.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let stand a few minutes, then whisk until very smooth and the chocolate is fully melted. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl.
- Evenly divide the mixture among 4 cups or ramekins. Let cool until no longer steaming, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Toss the cherries in a medium bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, the vanilla bean paste and the bourbon. Let stand until juicy, tossing occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon over the pudding.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 438 |
| Total Fat | 32 g |
| Saturated Fat | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 36 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Cholesterol | 85 mg |
| Sodium | 105 mg |
Reviews
I made this because I wanted to use up some gelatin powder and I also had some fresh cherries. Plus, I knew my husband would like the chocolate, cherry, and bourbon combination (he did even though the bourbon flavor was somewhat muted). Although I let this stand and strained it very well, the chilled pudding was a little grainy, but still rich and delicious. Maybe next time I’ll stir the chocolate in while the pudding is still on the burner, so it melts better. I loved it with the cherries, which would also be wonderful on ice cream.