Pudding with dark chocolate, cherries and hint of cinnamon

Sometimes (especially on a rainy day) there is nothing better than a chocolate pudding. This one is special, because it is made with real dark chocolate with cinnamon cherries.
Slightly different that traditional one, because it is steamed.


Ingredients (make 5 portions)
3 cups milk
1 dark chocolate bar
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tbsp cocoa
1/3 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tbsp vodka (or other alcohol)
Pinch salt

1 cup frozen cherries
2 tbsp sugar
¼ cup water + 1 tbsp
1 teaspoon potato flour
¼ teaspoon cinnamon


Method
Cherries: in a pot cook for a few minutes water, cherries, cinnamon and sugar. Whisk flour with 1 tbsp cold water. Pour in into the cherry mixture, well combine. When the sauce gets thick take off from the heat. Cool it down.
Pudding: In a metal bowl whisk starch, sugar and salt with milk. Steamed over the pot with boiling water. Stir from time to time until the pudding gets thick (about 20 min.). Add chocolate, vanilla and vodka, stir in the cocoa. Stir for another few minutes until all ingredients well combined. In a bowl put some cherries and pour in warm pudding. Before serving put the rest of the cherries on top of puddings.

Caramelized onion and sausage Yorkshire pudding

I must admit this is my first contact (except English films and books) with the Yorkshire pudding and...I’m amazed! I like it so much I can serve it on a special occasion! Just imagine with baked beef, roasted vegetables and sauce. The pudding’s taste is delicate almost neutral. I was taken in by the whole process of making the pudding.

This pudding I served with French mustard brought from holidays. Probably English wouldn’t even take such a set to his mouth but we loved it!

The recipe I taken from Michel Roux cookbook.

Ingredients (make 6 Yorkshire puddings)
2 eggs
2,5 oz (70 g) wheat flour
7 fl oz (200 ml) full fat milk
salt, pepper to taste
2 oz (50 g) butter
1 big onion
pinch salt
6 tbsp after bake grease or oil + 2 tbsp oil to fry sausage
favourite sausage (2-3 for each portion)
balsamic vinegar
to serve: mustard, horseradish


Method
In a bowl whisk eggs, add flour and milk, mix. Season with salt and pepper. Place the batter in a fridge for about 2 hours. In a saucepan melt the butter. Simmer diced onion in a saucepan with butter until gets soft. Preheat the oven to 440F/ 220 oC. Pour an after bake grease or oil into a muffin pan. For 5 min. keep the muffin pan in the oven. After 5 min. Take the pan out from the oven and spoon the batter into it. Bake until golden brown for about 25 min.
Add sugar to simmered onion, fry until caramelized. Fry sausage. Serve with pudding which should be soft inside and crispy outside. Everything drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Rice pudding with gingerbread plum sauce

The Autumn is in my opinion the best time for ice-creams or other dessert straight from the fridge. It is different with warm rice with a flavour of vanilla and cinnamon, break with lightly sour plum sauce. There is nothing better than sweet finish of a meal.

Ingredients ( make 4 big portions)
1 cup rice
2 cups milk
1 cup sour cream (min. 18%)
pinch salt
2 tbsp sugar (best with real vanilla)
½ vanilla stick
18 oz (500 g) plums
4 tbsp brown sugar (+/- depends on the fruit sweetness)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
4 gloves
2 tbsp water


Method
Rinse the rice. Cook in a pot with milk, sour cream, season with salt and sugar. Add the vanilla stick (you should cut it in half and get out the beans), stir from time to time until the rice gets soft. In another pot cook on a low heat stoned plums with water and spices until smooth and thick sauce. In a dessert bowls gently combine warm, creamy rice with the sauce.