Ingredients

• 4 cups milk (1 quart; see note)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a 2 or 3 quart saucepan.  Gradually whisk in the milk. If the milk is cold, so much the better, cornstarch dissolves most completely in cold liquids.  Heat the pudding over medium heat.  You will have to stir it a lot.  Maybe not constantly, but darn close to it.  Keep stirring it until it boils. Then count to 60, so that it boils for a full minute.  The pudding will thicken up considerably as it cooks.

2. Next crack your egg into a cereal bowl.  Ladle a bit of the hot pudding into the bowl with the egg.  Stir the egg up pretty fast (so it doesn’t cook in the hot pudding) until it is well incorporated. Then scrape this egg/pudding mixture back into the saucepan.  Whisk it up smooth.  Bring the pudding back to a boil and then remove it from the stove. Drop in the butter and measure in the vanilla.  Stir the butter in until it melts.

NOTE FROM THE ORIGINAL RECIPE CREATOR:

“The egg is not completely necessary to this recipe, but in my opinion, makes it taste a whole lot better.  Without the egg this pudding just tastes like sweet milk gravy to me.  With the egg, it has a certain richness which elevates it to something special.  I serve this sometimes with frozen strawberries, sometimes with chocolate syrup, and sometimes with pound cake.  It can be used like a custard sauce if you like.  I find it much easier to make than traditional custard, which is usually thickened only with egg yolks.  With all of the
distractions from the kids, dogs, cats and Fred, I can only make things which aren’t too intimidating.  This one definitely fits that category.  This recipe makes about 8 servings.  Pour it into small resealable plastic containers if you want to send it in a lunch box.”

from: http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/vanillapudding.htm

Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup soymilk plus 1 tbsp vinegar)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin pan.  Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt.  Add cocoa & sugar. Whisk buttermilk, oil, vanilla together; add to dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Fill cups at least halfway. Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool.

Ganache Ingredients

• 4 oz chocolate
• 4 oz heavy cream ( 3/4 cup milk 1/3 cup butter)

Chop chocolate fine in a small bowl. Bring cream to a simmer. Pour cream over chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool.

Ladle ganache onto cake. Let set for 10 minutes. Cool and then eat.

Apple Filling:

• 5 cups tart apples, peeled, sliced
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened

Topping:

• 1/2 cup flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

PREPARATION:
In a medium bowl, combine apples, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, vanilla and water. Turn into a lightly buttered 9-inch square pan. Dot apples with 1 tablespoon butter. Combine all topping ingredients. Beat with wooden spoon until batter is smooth. Drop batter in 9 portions, over the apples, spacing evenly. Batter will spread during baking. Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 375° or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line one (12-cup) muffin pan with cupcake papers.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, egg, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld
electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

3. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, halfway through. Cupcakes are done when top springs back when lightly touched with finger. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Vegan Buttercream frosting

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1/4 cup soy milk
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 1/2 t. vanilla

Using an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a hand held mixer, place the soy margarine and soy milk, and cream them together. Add half of the sugar, and beat well to combine. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to beat the mixture until light and fluffy.

Ingredients

• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting the pan and for topping the brownies
• 1 3/4 pounds semisweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 pounds (6 sticks) unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing the pan
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 11 eggs
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-by-13-inch baking pans with butter and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

2. In a saucepan or double boiler over low heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter together. When chocolate has melted, take off the heat, stir to combine and let the mixture cool until just warm to the touch.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the sugar, flour, salt and baking powder. Stir to mix thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla to the cooled chocolate mixture, blending well. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds just until ingredients are blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until the cake starts to come away from the sides of the pan, about 35 minutes. Cool and dust with confectioners’ sugar before slicing.

Makes 24 very large or 48 small brownies

Backstory: During Clinton impeachment proceedings in 1999, the staff at the Mayflower Hotel would serve brownies to the throngs of reporters and photographers hanging out in front of the hotel, where depositions were being taken. One of our reporters described them as “thick, chewy, chocolaty.”

Ingredients

• 5 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Pinch salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus 1 cup whipped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large bananas, thinly sliced
• 14 whole chocolate wafer cookies, plus 4 crushed, for garnish (see note).

1. Place chocolate in a bowl. In a separate large bowl, sift together
sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt; whisk in egg yolks and 1/2 cup milk
until smooth.

2. In a large saucepan over high heat, bring remaining 1 cup milk and
1/2 cup cream to a simmer. Pour over chopped chocolate and whisk until
smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot chocolate mixture into
egg mixture until completely incorporated and cocoa is dissolved.

3. Return custard to saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium
heat, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Do not let mixture reach a
simmer. If custard begins to steam heavily, stir it, off the heat, a
moment before returning it to stove top. Strain through a fine-mesh
sieve. Stir in vanilla.

4. Spread several tablespoons pudding evenly into an 8-inch square pan
(or a glass bowl). Top with an even layer of bananas; arrange whole
cookies on top of bananas. Cover with remaining pudding. Top with
whipped cream and sprinkle with crushed cookies. Chill at least 3
hours or overnight before serving.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Time: 45 minutes, plus chilling

Note: Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers work perfectly. If you can’t
find them or want to paint the lily, try using chocolate sandwich
cookies like Newman-O’s.

Ingredients

• Butter for pan
• 1/4 cup pepitas (hulled toasted pumpkinseeds)
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon mild New Mexican chili powder (or to taste)
• 1 inchlong piece cinnamon stick
• 2 whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 star anise
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 large eggs
• Pinch salt

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with
nonstick liner, buttered parchment or waxed paper, spread pepitas
close together in a single layer.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup sugar and 6
tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer, stirring only until sugar is
dissolved. Continue to cook, tilting pan occasionally to distribute
heat evenly, until a caramel of a deep amber color forms, about 15
minutes.

3. Working quickly (before caramel cools and hardens), pour half the
hot caramel into a 9-inch loaf pan, tilting pan to coat bottom and a
bit of the sides. Pour remaining caramel over pepitas, using an offset
spatula to help spread caramel if necessary. Let both pans cool
completely. When pepita praline is cool, break into 2-inch pieces.

4. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine milk, cream, chili powder,
cinnamon, peppercorns and star anise. Bring to a simmer over high
heat; reduce to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Let stand, off heat, 15
minutes. Return to a simmer, turn off heat and whisk in chocolate
until smooth.

5. In a bowl, whisk eggs, remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the salt
together. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot chocolate mixture into
eggs until fully combined. Pour custard through a fine sieve into
caramel-coated loaf pan. Place loaf pan in a deep roasting pan. Add 2
inches hot tap water to roasting pan. Cover roasting pan tightly with
foil; prick foil all over with a fork.

6. Carefully transfer pan to oven. Bake until flan is lightly set but
still jiggles when shaken (lifting foil to check), about 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer loaf pan to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate flan at least 4 hours or overnight.

7. To serve, run an offset spatula along sides of pan to gently
release it. Turn onto a serving platter and top with pepita praline;
serve in slices.

Yield: 8 servings.

Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus 4 hours’ chilling

Published: New York Times, April 23, 2008