Velvety Chocolate Custard Recipes

RICH AND VELVETY CUSTARD PIE - 2003 1ST PLACE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Crust:
• Mix all the dry ingredients together and cut in the shortening to resemble course crumbs. Beat the remaining ingredients, except the egg white, together and add to flour. Stir only to incorporate. Wrap in plastic and chill for several hours. Roll out and line pie dish. Bake crust (halfway) in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Brush with an egg white and bake an additional 5 minutes.
• Filling:
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Scald the milk and half-and-half.
• Mix together the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Add the hot milk. Very carefully pour through a fine strainer and into the pie shell. Grate nutmeg over the top of the filling.
• Bake for 10 minutes on the bottom rack and then move to the middle rack and reduce the heat to 325 degrees F. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean or until the middle of the pie is almost set. It will continue to cook after it is taken out of the oven. Cool on a rack.

VELVETY CHOCOLATE BUTTER PECAN PIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in the butter and shortening until crumbly. Combine water, vinegar and vanilla. Gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight., Roll out pastry to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Beat egg wash ingredients; brush over pastry., For filling, melt butter and chocolate in a microwave; stir until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, molasses, vanilla and salt. Stir in chopped pecans and butter mixture. Pour into pastry. Arrange pecan halves over filling., Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHOCOLATE VELVET ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Chop chocolate. In a heavy saucepan whisk together sugar and cocoa powder until combined and whisk in cream and milk. Bring mixture just to a boil, stirring occasionally. In a bowl beat yolks until smooth. Add hot cream mixture to yolks in a slow stream, whisking, and pour into pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 170° F. Remove pan from heat and add chopped chocolate, whisking until melted. Pour custard through a sieve into a clean bowl and cool. Chill custard, its surface covered with plastic wrap, at least 3 hours, or until cold, and up to 1 day.
• Transfer custard to bowl of a standing electric mixer and beat just until thick and fluffy. Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead.

VELVETY CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• In a saucepan over low heat, cook milk and chocolate chips, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted; set aside to cool slightly.
• In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt; gradually stir in the chocolate mixture.
• Pour mixture evenly into 6 custard cups or ramekins (2/3 cup/150 ml).
• Place custard cups in a 13x9 inch baking pan set on oven rack; pour in hot water until it reaches halfway up the cups.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until custard is set and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Remove cups to a wire rack to cool.
• Invert onto serving dishes and garnish as desired (or you can serve them in the cups).