Chipolatapudding

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.2 liter pudding mold
• •Small saucepan
• •Mixing bowls
• •Whisk
• •Wooden spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the gelatine

   Put the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water and leave them for ten minutes until soft. If using powdered gelatine, sprinkle it over 4 tablespoons cold milk taken from the measured milk and let it swell. Gelatine is not difficult, only proud; give it cold liquid first and it behaves.

2. 2

   Warm the milk

   Heat the milk with the vanilla pod until it is hot but not boiling, then take it off the heat and let it sit for five minutes. Fish out the pod, scraping the seeds back into the milk. If using vanilla extract, stir it in after the milk is warmed.

3. 3

   Make the custard

   Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale and thick. Pour in the hot milk slowly, whisking all the time, then return everything to the pan over low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the custard lightly coats the back of it, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let it boil, or the eggs will scramble and no amount of nostalgia will save them.

4. 4

   Dissolve and cool

   Squeeze the softened gelatine sheets dry and stir them into the warm custard until completely dissolved. If using powdered gelatine, stir in the swollen mixture. Pour the custard into a clean bowl and let it cool until it is thickened but not set, about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then.

5. 5

   Prepare the filling

   Toss the broken bitterkoekjes, candied fruit, and raisins with the marasquin liqueur. Leave them for 10 minutes, just long enough to perfume the biscuits. You want almond pieces suspended through the pudding, not a sweet paste at the bottom of the bowl.

6. 6

   Fold the cream

   Whip the cold cream to soft peaks. Fold it gently into the cooled custard, then fold in the soaked biscuit mixture. Turn the bowl slowly as you fold; the aim is an even, airy pudding with little pieces everywhere, not a custard beaten into obedience.

   If the custard is still warm, wait. Warm custard melts whipped cream, and then the pudding sets heavy instead of light.
7. 7

   Fill the mold

   Lightly oil a 1.2 liter pudding mold and wipe out the excess with kitchen paper, leaving only a whisper of oil. Spoon in the pudding mixture, tap the mold once on the counter to settle it, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

8. 8

   Turn it out

   Dip the outside of the mold briefly in warm water for 5 to 8 seconds, place a serving plate on top, and invert with confidence. If it hesitates, hold the mold and plate together and give them one firm shake. Serve cold, sliced in wedges, with nothing more than a little extra candied fruit if the table is feeling festive.

Chef Tips

• •Use real bitterkoekjes if you can find them. Italian amaretti are a decent stand-in, but choose the chewy kind rather than dry little rocks.
• •Marasquin is the old Dutch choice here, cherry-almond scented and slightly theatrical. Rum is acceptable, and orange juice can replace the liqueur for an alcohol-free table.
• •Oil the mold lightly and wipe it almost dry. Too much oil leaves a greasy shine; too little makes the pudding cling like a relative at the door.
• •Make it the day before a celebration. The flavor settles, the gelatine firms properly, and the cook gets to enjoy dinner instead of negotiating with dessert.

Advance Preparation

• •Can be made 1 day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator until serving.
• •Best eaten within 2 days; after that the candied fruit begins to bleed color and the biscuit pieces soften too far.
• •Do not freeze; gelatine puddings turn watery and grainy after thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 145g)