This is a very easy dessert to put together but somehow I managed to make it really complicated. You would think that after all these years living in the US that I would have some sort of sense of how much a liquid ounce is, but nooooo. So I am making this lovely dessert and measuring out the amount of Amaretto. The measuring glass I am using is small with tiny numbers on it and I need approximately 2 1/2 ounces. I see the number 5 and figure I need about half that amount. I go about my business and finish the dessert. Now tasting time, that’s funny, I don’t taste any Amaretto, only delicious chocolate. I then go back and look at the measuring glass again, this time putting on my reading glasses and see that what I thought was a 5 really said .5 🙂 No wonder I don’t taste any Amaretto. Round two, so I make another portion, determined that I want a pudding that is loaded with wonderful Amaretto flavor and the second time around I finally succeeded. This is indeed a lovely, lovely Amaretto pudding.
But the story doesn’t end there. You see, this makes 6 small or 4 good size portions and the pudding is to be served for the ABGT blacksmiths and these guys are not small portion kinda guys and I need at least 6 portions. So what’s a girl to do? I want to make some cups with Amaretto pudding and some with the plain chocolate pudding. But my husband suggested that if I mix it all together it might still taste like Amaretto. Big mistake, the wonderful Amaretto flavor has virtually disappeared. Oh well 😦 but it doesn’t stop there. So I send Joe on his way with the pudding only to realize, I didn’t get any finished pictures of the pudding. So the pictures in this blog post is courtesy of my blacksmith husband Joe, which may I add, did an excellent job taking them. Thank you honey 😉
Chocolate Amaretto Pudding (makes 4 to 6 servings)
Ingredients:
500 milliliter whole milk (17 fl oz)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
80 milliliter Amaretto liqueur (2.7 fl oz)
100 gram dark chocolate (3.4 oz), chopped finely
50 gram unsalted butter (1.7 oz)
Topping:
whipped heavy cream, optional
Danish Makroner or Amaretti cookies, crushed, optional
Directions:
Warm milk in a saucepan over low heat. In a second cold saucepan add flour, sugar and vanilla seeds, whisk to combine. Whisk in the warm milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Place saucepan on stove and heat to medium-low stirring frequently. Whisk in Amaretto liqueur and continue to stir until you start to see a slight bubble, remove pan from heat. Add chocolate and butter, continue to stir until it starts to thicken a little. Pour pudding into storage container or serving dishes and chill in refrigerator 4-6 hours before serving. To prevent skin from forming on pudding surface, place plastic wrap directly onto surface before chilling. To serve top with whipped cream and crushed Danish Makroner or Amaretti cookies. Enjoy!
Source: Gennaro Contaldo