Warm Chocolate Pudding Enchiladas With Strawberry Almond Salsa Recipes

CHOCOLATE ALMOND PUDDING

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, cocoa and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in milk and egg. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook until thickened. Remove from heat, and quickly stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Garnish as desired, and serve warm.

WARM CHOCOLATE PUDDING ENCHILADAS WITH STRAWBERRY ALMOND SALSA

Steps:

• Melt chocolate and butter over simmering water in top of a double boiler.
• Pour 1/2 cup of the milk into a medium-size bowl. Whisk in the cornstarch, cocoa and 1/4 cup of the sugar.
• In a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, scald remaining 3 cups of milk and 1/2 cup of sugar by heating to just under a boil, when it begins to foam. Remove from heat, and whisk hot liquid into the cornstarch mixture. Return to heat and, while constantly scraping bottom of pan with a whisk, cook until tiny bubbles boil up for 10 seconds, no more.
• Put eggs and egg yolks in a bowl. Whisking vigorously, slowly drizzle in one cup of hot liquid. Pour everything back into saucepan. Simmer until tiny bubbles boil up again, constantly scraping bottom of pan with a whisk. Stir in Kahlua. Strain pudding, and fold in the melted chocolate and butter. Cover with wax paper to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside for one hour. Refrigerate until chilled.
• To make enchiladas, first make the crepes. Put flour, cocoa, sugar, milk and eggs in the bowl of a food processor, or blender and run at high speed for one minute. Scrape down the sides, and run for another 10 seconds. Let batter rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Place a nonstick saute pan or crepe pan over medium-high heat for one minute. Remove it from heat and, holding it with one hand, pour 1/4 cup of the batter into it. Quickly tilt it so a thin film of batter coats pan's bottom. Return pan to heat, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the top looks set but not dry and you can lift crepe with a rubber spatula and then your fingers. (Cover your free hand with a paper towel to catch finished crepe.)
• Place crepes cooked-side-up on a sheet of waxed paper, and repeat with rest of batter. You should have 8 to 10.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter a cookie sheet.
• Place a crepe, cooked side up, on a dry work surface. Drop about 1/4 cup of pudding in the center. Spread it from side to side, leaving one-inch borders. Fold bottom edge over the center of the pudding. Next, fold the right side of the crepe back to the middle; repeat with the left side. Fold the last section toward the middle to make the enchilada. Repeat with remaining crepes. These may be prepared up to a day in advance.
• Place each enchilada, seam side down, on buttered pan. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes to warm them. Serve with strawberry almond salsa.

CHOCOLATE RICOTTA PUDDING WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the sauce: Blend the strawberries and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• To make the pudding: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Lightly butter 6 (6-ounce) custard cups. Arrange the cups in a large roasting pan. Melt the chocolate in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Set the melted chocolate aside. Blend the ricotta, 1/4 cup of sugar, egg yolks, orange zest, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until very smooth. Blend in the melted chocolate. Transfer the ricotta mixture to a large bowl.
• Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites in another large bowl with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar. Continue beating until semi-firm peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cups. Fill the pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the custard cups. Bake until the pudding puffs slightly but the centers are still creamy, about 25 minutes (the pudding will become thick and creamy when cold). Allow puddings to cool slightly before removing from water bath. Remove the custard cups from the bath. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.
• Run a knife around the sides of the puddings to loosen. Invert the puddings onto plates. Drizzle the strawberry sauce around the puddings and serve.

HOT CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat 4 cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until steaming.
• Meanwhile, whisk the sugar, hot chocolate mix, cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk.
• Slowly add half of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly until smooth. Gradually whisk the egg-milk mixture into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened to a pudding-like consistency, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• Let the pudding cool slightly, stirring a few times to prevent a skin from forming. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding and refrigerate until it has completely cooled and thickened, about 4 hours.
• Before serving, whisk the pudding vigorously until it's smooth and creamy. Spoon it into serving bowls and top with dollops of whipped cream and a sprinkling of hot chocolate mix.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, salt and warm water. Whisk to blend and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup of the milk. Stir to blend and bring the mixture back to a gentle simmer on low heat.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 cup of milk until the mixture is smooth. Stir the cornstarch into the simmering chocolate mixture and continue cooking it over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. From time to time, use a whisk to blend the pudding and assure that it is not sticking to the bottom or sides and scorching as it cooks. Remove from the heat. Taste and add the vanilla and rum. Pour the pudding into a large bowl (or, if preferred, individual coffee cups) and cover tightly with plastic wrap so a skin doesn't form on top of the pudding. The plastic wrap should directly touch the top of the pudding in the bowl or cups. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
• In a medium bowl whisk the cream until thick. Alternatively, use the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk in the sugar and vanilla until blended. Taste for sweetness and refrigerate until ready to use.
• When ready to serve, heat the oil in a medium skillet over low heat. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, add the almonds. Cook them, stirring, from time to time, until they turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them from the skillet to a paper towel or a kitchen towel to drain off excess oil. Season with salt, to taste.
• Remove the pudding from the refrigerator, discard the plastic wrap and sprinkle with the almonds. Top with dollops of the whipped cream or serve the cream on the side. Serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• To prepare the filling: Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and powdered sugar in the bowl of a mixer; beat until fluffy. Set aside.
• To prepare the sauce: Combine the butter, orange juice, sugar, salt and pureed strawberries in a 3-quart saucepan.
• Put the raspberries in mesh sieve and push them through with a wooden spoon.
• Be sure to scape off the puree clinging to bottom of the sieve. Add the raspberry puree to the mixture in the saucepan. Simmer for 8 minutes, until thickened to a sauce consistency. Remove from heat. Stir in the sliced strawberries.
• To assemble: Butter a 10 x 13-inch baking dish. Place about 2 rounded tablespoons of the filling down the center of each tortilla. Fold the sides over the filling. Place seam-side down in the baking dish. Assemble no more than 1 hour in advance so the tortillas don't become soggy.
• Bake the enchiladas in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the filling is puffed.
• To serve: Place each enchilada on a dessert plate, pour a generous 1/4 cup of the sauce over each, then dust with powdered sugar.

PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Put all but 1/3 cup flour on a work table and form into a ring. Place water and salt in the center. With the tips of your fingers, gradually incorporate the flour. Do not overwork. Form into a round - the dough should be smooth, moist and not overly sticky. Slash the top of the dough ball in a cross shape. Cover dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.
• Mix remaining flour with butter. Work to smooth mass and form it into an eight-inch square, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured working surface, roll out the dough to form a large clover shape. Place butter-flour mixture in the center of the dough.
• Close flaps of dough and completely enclose the butter. Roll out the dough to a rectangular shape approximately 18 inches by 8 inches. The rectangle should be rolled out vertically away from you. Always roll from the center out, never backtracking with the rolling pin. Leave the edges a little thicker than the center to avoid breaking dough. After rolling, gently flatten the edges with the rolling pin.
• Brush off excess flour and fold dough in thirds like a letter (top toward you, bottom over top) to complete first turn. Rotate the the dough clock-wise one quarter turn - at this point it should resemble a book with its binding on the left.
• Gently roll it out again on a floured surface into an 18-by-8-inch rectangle as in step 4. Brush off excess flour and, once again, fold the dough in thirds as with a letter, top down and bottom up. This completes the second turn. Cover the dough and refrigerate for one hour.
• Execute third and fourth turns exactly as was done with the first two. Refrigerate for another hour. Then make the 5th and 6th turns and refrigerate for another hour, or overnight.