Many years ago I was win Chicago and had dinner at RPM Italian.

The food was excellent but when they brought the dessert, I fell in love.

Yes, it was a pudding, but it was also like a cold creme brûlée. It was rich and chocolate-y. The addition of the caramel sauce, whipped cream and a sprinkle of salt was amazing.

I hope I have done it justice in this rendition I came up with.

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Dark Chocolate Budino

A rich chocolate pudding inspired by a dessert I had at RPM in Chicago.

Prep Time15 mins

Chill time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 15 mins

Course: Endings

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: budino, chocolate, pudding

Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

• small, 6-ounce, ramekins

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cup Whole Milk
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 Tbs. Granulated White Sugar
• 1 large Egg Yolk
• 1 cup Chopped, good quality, Dark Chocolate

Instructions

• In a heavy saucepan, combine milk, cream and sugar.

  Start on a low heat and gradually increase to bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
• In a heat proof bowl slightly whisk egg yolk and carefully whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture.

  You need to whisk fast so you don't make scrambled eggs. You are "tempering" the eggs.

  Add the egg mixture back into milk mixture and return to heat, whisking rapidly.

  Gradually heat back to 180° (use a candy thermometer).
• Place chopped chocolate in another heat proof bowl and pour hot milk over.

  Let sit for 5 minutes and then stir until completely melted and smooth.

  Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
• Divide and pour evenly into small ramekins ans palce in refrigerator to chill until set. This will take at least 2 hours.

  To serve, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with flake salt, like Maldon.

Back in the 1970’s, when my mom was a member of the Time-Life Recipe Club, she would get a packet of cards each month with a different theme. She would diligently take the recipes out of their package and place them in the avocado green recipe box.

I loved them. Each month I would travel to a different country and dream of one day actually visiting them.  My favorite was France. There were recipes for soup and braised meats; luxurious sauces and crepes. The desserts were always the best. I found a recipe for Gateau au Chocolat and knew that I had to make this for my dad!

I made the recipe and when it came out, it didn’t look quite like the picture. I was so disappointed. I went back and read the recipe. OH NO! The recipe called for 4 TEASPOONS of flour and sugar. I had put 4 TABLESPOONS!
I watched carefully as my dad took his first bite. Although it looked like a loaf shaped brownie, it was really fudge inside and the sugar had made a crust that crackled as his fork pushed through. His face lit up with delight as that fork hit is mouth.

I immediately took a slice for myself. The crackly crust enrobed a creamy fudge center. Yes it was more sugar than the recipe called for but it was just the right amount of sweet and bitter. My teenage heart was full; especially when my dad proclaimed I the best mistake I ever made.

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Gateau au Chocolat

This recipe was a mistake. I mis-read the recipe. Some mistakes turn into great success.

Course: Endings

Cuisine: French

Keyword: cake, chocolate

Ingredients

• 4 large Eggs, separated
• 4-4oz. bars German's Sweet Baking Chocolate
• 4 Tbs. Granulated White Sugar
• 4 Tbs. All-Purpose Flour

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°.

  Butter and line, with wax paper, a 9x5 loaf pan.
• Melt chocolate, in large bowl, over a double boiler. Remove from heat.

  Melt butter in chocolate with spatula. Set aside.
• Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Set aside.

  With same beaters, beat egg yolks until thick and light in color.

  While beating constantly, slowly add sugar, then flour and beat until just combined.
• Stir egg mixture into chocolate mixture.

  Fold egg whites into chocolate and egg mixture. It may not fully combnie, this is okay.
• Pour into prepared pan.

  Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

  Bake for 25 minutes.

  Let cool completely on rack, Cake will settle like a cheesecake.
• Refrigerate for 4 hours until chilled.

  Slice and serve with a dusting of confectioners sugar.

  You can add chocolate curls, whipped cream and/or fresh berries.

I already knew I was having a love affair with browned butter. It adds such a richness to any dish it’s in. That nutty aroma that fills your house when you are browning it, is amazing. Butter is already great but browning it adds such a decadence!

Here is a recipe that was in Food & Wine magazine. I can’t resist these yummies. Don’t be afraid to change up the chocolate if you can’t find the cacao percentages I listed. Any chocolate will be elevated by the browning the butter.

Enjoy!

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5 from 1 vote

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from Food & Wine)

Browned butter and rich chocolate make for a fantastic cookie, finished with flaky sea salt.

Prep Time1 hr 30 mins

Cook Time13 mins

cooling time15 mins

Total Time1 hr 58 mins

Course: Endings

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cookies, chocolate chip, browned butter

Servings: 16 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup Unsalted Butter
• 2-1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 3/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Granulated White Sugar
• 2 lg. Eggs
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 cup 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate baking morsels
• 1 3.5 oz, bar 72% Dark Chocolate Bar, rough chopped
• 1/2 tsp. Flaky Sea Salt

Instructions

• Peheat oven to 375°.

  Melt butter in a saucepan, over a medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter starts to brown. Once butter is brown and foamy stir almost constantly. Do not turn away from the butter. It can burn very quickly. This should take about 10 minutes. When browned, pour into a heat proof glass and cover. Make sure you get all the browned bits. Place in refrigerator and cool until solid, about an hour.
• Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

  Sift together flour, baking powder, kosher salt and baking soda, in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat chilled brown butter, again make sure you get all the browned bits, and both sugars, in the bowl of a stand-up mixer fitted with a paddle, on medium-high until light and flufft. THis should take about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla and mix until well combined.

  While on low speed gradually add flour. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

  Fold in both chocolates. Using a 2oz. ice scream scoop, scoop dough 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Do not flatten.

  Sprinkle each cookie with sea salt.
• Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes. Edges should be goldena nd cookie shoul dbe set.

  I rotate halfway through baking.

  Cool on pan for 10 minutes then transfer to wire rack. Can be served warm or at room temperature.

I first found this recipe in Southern Living Magazine in December of 2014. It was one of the first recipes that I felt didn’t need any changes. It was actually an advertisement for Kraft products.

Once I made it I knew it was perfect as is. I even titled the post, “If it Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It!”

I made dinner for a friend that had recently had a hip replacement. I wanted dinner to be good but pretty simple. this cake was the best way to finish a dinner of roast chicken, potatoes and green beans.

I love the was the brown sugar gives it a molasses undertone but the acid in the buttermilk cuts right through too much sweetness. I used the chocolate that was called for but you could easily change this recipe up with a different chocolate or even adding toffee chips. I hope you enjoy this oldie but goodie!

Don’t forget to tag me on instagram when you make this recipe and give me a follow while you are there @whiskinthesouthern.

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Brown Sugar Chocolate Bundt Cake

A buttermilk chocolate chunk cake made with mostly brown sugar.

Course: Endings

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brown sugar, bundt, chocolate, cake

Ingredients

Topping:

• 1/3 cup Chopped Pecans
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 2 Tbs. Granualted White Sugar

Cake:

• 2 3/4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Fine Sea Salt
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar, pack firmly
• 1/2 cup Granulated White Sugar
• 1 Tbs. Vanilla
• 4 large Eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 (4oz.)Bar Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°

  Butter and flour a bundt pan.

  Mush together, pecans, butter and sugar for topping. Use a fork and crumble evenly into prepared bundt pan. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a tand up mixer, cream together butter with both sugars. Add in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, until just combined.
• Alternating with flour mixture, stir in buttermilk. Start and finish with dry ingredients. Do not overwork the batter. This causes a tough or dense cake.

  Fold in chocolate and spoon into prepared pan, evenly.
• Bake for 45-55 minutes, The tester should have just a few crumbs left on it.

  Cool in pan and then turn out on rack and cool completely.