Chocolate Guinness Goodness... Recipe
OMGuinness...this truly is goodness! In anticipation of St. Patrick's Day, I went looking for a traditional Irish dessert...and I came across this. While it's not traditional, it was made by an Irishman, in an Irish Pub, with Irish beer - Guinness. (The Irish love their whiskey and their Guinness...as someone once said, of their strong drinks, "It's like a torchlight parade goin' down me throat!") Chocolate and Guinness are not two foods I would put together, I'm not a fan of Guinness as I'm not a beer drinker, but as you know, I AM a fan of chocolate!
Creamy, smooth, rich, chocolate-y...like velvet over satin. You will NOT taste the beer, but you will discover a chocolate pudding with more depth than you've ever had before - and if you're worried about the alcohol, don't, it all cooks out and this is perfectly "safe" for leprechauns of all ages.
Guinness has a dark, bitter, chocolate flavor, so it's the perfect background for this chocolate pudding. Do not use Extra Stout Guinness, as it's too bitter (if you ask me), just use the "regular". After the pudding is cooked, it's put into a blender for a quick whirl, then poured into glasses and refrigerated until it's set and ready for it's crown - whipped cream. The original recipe called for 3/4 cup of Guinness, boiled down to 1 tablespoon then whipped into a creamy topping with heavy cream. I followed the recipe up to this point, but the fumes from beer reduction, which was thick, syrupy and potent, made me gag so I opted to leave it out of my whipped topping. So glad I did - this is perfect without it and If I knew what the Irish word for Hallelujah was I would be saying it with every bite - this is dang good, my friends, 5 dangs on the ol' meter!
You won't need to turn on PBS to watch River Dance to get your Irish on...just make this pudding, it'll make your kilt fly up and you'll be clogging like a pro in no time!
- Chocolate Guinness Goodness - Adapted Slightly from Shane Philip Coffey via Epicurious
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 (14.9 oz. can) Guinness Draught (you will only use half of this for the pudding - it's up to you as to what to do with the rest!)
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 7 oz. high quality bittersweet chocolate (at least 70% cacao), finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
In large glass (do not use metal) mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Open can of Guinness and slowly pour into 4-cup measuring cup, pouring down side of cup to reduce foaming. Pour half of Guinness (about 7/8 cup) into heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups cream and whisk to combine. Set over medium heat and heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles just begin to form at edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
Slowly pour some of the hot chocolate mixture into eggs, whisking constantly, to temper the eggs. Then slowly pour the egg mixture into the chocolate, whisking constantly. Return mixture to stove and moderately low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon, about 15 minutes. (Pudding will look separated.) Pour into blender (in batches so you don't get burned) and blend on high for 1 minute. Divide pudding among glasses, leaving at least 1 inch of space at top of each. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set.
Beat remaining cream until soft peaks form. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat well. Divide cream among 6 glasses of pudding and serve.
Oh To be Irish...
Be they kings, or poets, or farmers,
They're a people of great worth,
They keep company with the angels,
And bring a bit of Heaven here to Earth.