Barefoot Bloggers: Brownie Pudding

I knew that since I was going to make my wife eat some broccolini that I was going to have to make up for it somehow.  This second bonus recipe was the perfect thing.  My wife is a big chocolate person so I knew I couldn't go wrong with this one.

I wish I had seen this on the TV show since I am not really sure mine turned out right.  The "pudding" part was a little runnier than I would have liked.  On the other hand, the brownie part was more crisp than I would have liked.  The brownie part kind of puffed up and became a very thin layer separated from the pudding part by air.  I also thought the pudding part was a little grainy.  It was also very rich - to be expected of a recipe with 1/3 stick of butter in a serving.

I suspect I did something wrong but I am not sure what.  Maybe the temp of the water bath or something.  I will be anxious to see what others though of this recipe.

I probably sound a little harsh.  It was good - it just did not live up to my high expectations.  It wasn't a total loss - my wife liked it a lot.

Thanks to Tia of Southern, eh? for this recipe.  I always love trying new deserts.

Brownie Pudding

(Source: Back to Basics, page 218)

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup good cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tablespoon framboise liqueur, optional
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.
3. When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.
4. Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.
5. Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.