Pudding Cakes

While I was on the road I was teaching students about Lemon Pudding Cakes; since it's spring, and lemon is such a fresh flavor to serve with berries, it was the perfect ending for many of the classes that I taught. That being said, when I mentioned that there was a Chocolate Pudding Cake that makes its own hot fudge sauce in the pan, the groans were loud and long.  Having promised my students in the Simply Fish class at The Kitchen Shoppe in Carlisle, PA this recipe, I hope you'll all try it, it's really amazingly simple, and scrumptious!

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Serves 8

    2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

    1 ½ cups water

    2/3cup cocoa powder

    1/3 cup brown sugar

    1 cup granulated sugar

    6 tablespoons unsalted butter

    2 ounces semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

    3/4cup all-purpose flour

    2 teaspoons baking powder

    1 tablespoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract

    1/3 cup whole milk

    ¼ teaspoon salt

    1 large egg yolk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat the inside of eight 4-ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray. Set ramekins on baking sheet. 
2. Stir instant espresso into the water; set aside to dissolve. 
3. Whisk together 1/3 cup cocoa, brown sugar, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar in small bowl. 
4. Melt the butter, remaining 1/3 cup cocoa, and chocolate in small saucepan, and whisk until smooth. Set aside, and cool slightly. 
5. Whisk flour and baking powder in small bowl to combine and set aside. 
6. Whisk remaining 2/3 cup sugar, vanilla, milk, and salt in medium bowl until combined and whisk in the yolk. 
7. Add chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. 
8. Add flour mixture and whisk until batter is evenly moistened. 
9. Divide the batter evenly among ramekins (about 1/4 cup per ramekin) and level with back of spoon; sprinkle about 2 tablespoons cocoa/sugar mixture over batter in each ramekin. 
10. Pour 3 tablespoons coffee mixture over cocoa/sugar mixture in each ramekin. 
11. Bake until puffed and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Be careful not to over bake! 
12. Cool ramekins about 15 minutes before serving, the cakes will fall.  Serve with vanilla ice cream, or unsweetened whipped cream. 

Pudding Cake in a 9-inch square pan

1. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread evenly into sides and corners with rubber spatula.
2. Sprinkle cocoa/sugar mixture over batter. Mixture should cover entire surface of batter.
3. Pour coffee mixture gently over cocoa mixture, bake 20 to 30 minutes until puffed, and no longer jiggly.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.   

Wishing you a blessed Easter and Passover, and I will leave you with a few spring photos from Washington, D.C.