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White Chocolate Pudding – Sugar High Friday!


I already wish it were Friday… any Friday for that matter. The week is always better that day don’t you think? Well, I am anticipating a very sweet one by virtually sending these to Zorra who is hosted Sugar High Friday for December, dedicated to puddings : "baked, steamed and boiled puddings or the creamy ones".

I have to admit, I did not jump up and down when I read the theme since I will take tarts,cookies,cakes over puddings any day of the week. Although, come to think of it, I like panna cottas and creme brulees, which are also forms of puddings. Ah! Who am I kidding?! I had the chance to stir some sugar, eggs and cream together, and that is enough to make me happy!

B. on other hand, as a good Southern boy, loves his custards and puddings, so he started bugging me early on last week: "Have you decided which one you will make?" – hugh…no. "What about my mom’s banana pudding?" – hugh…no again."What about steamed pudding like the ones I used to eat in England?" – hugh …still no. Nothing against steamed pudding, which I like, but not my fancy at the present time since it is around 80 outside and close to 85-90 with the oven on. How far is Australia again? Because right now, it might as well be in my backyard!!

So…..after searching for something refreshing and on the lighter side (if eaten with moderation) during this trying time of holiday parties and cookie making, I settled on two of my favorite tastes: white chocolate and pomegranate.
I loved this one: the creamy satin mouth feel of the white chocolate is really accentuated by the juicy and tart explosion of the pomegranate seeds in your mouth. (sounds good right?!) I made just enough for four, but I wish I had enough for 10 more…for me! I searched books and Internet sources for white chocolate pudding recipes but was never satisfied so I adapted the one I have come up with over the years for a vanilla based one. I will always remember the two lessons my grandmother taught me in the pastry kitchen: If you fail your creme anglaise, add cornstarch and make it a pudding. If you fail a cake, turn it into bread pudding…. I guess, puddings do make the world go round!!

A lot of you have asked me about the different dishes and cups I use. The small dishes are purchased at stores like Tuesday Mornings( like these), Pier1, or at restaurant when I am wowed by the presentation (like these). The square glasses, lantern glasses and the small ones (about 1/2 cup capacity) today are actually….votive candle holders… Tada!! You know one of my secrets. Allright I am in a particularly nice mood tonight (Pay It Forward Winner below) so I will give you my other secret: my best sources are the Dollar Store and the sales rack of Kmart or Lowes, in the garden and candle sections. Always look beyond the expected and you will be rewarded…all right so all that wisdom has left me hungry for some pudding…


White Chocolate Pudding :

Makes 4 servings

2 1/2 cups milk, divided
Pinch salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 oz (1/2 cup) white chocolate chips or chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Heat 2 cups of milk, but do not boil. In a bowl, whisk the sugar and the egg yolks together until pale. In a separate dish, dissolve the cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 cup milk. Add to the egg yolks mixture and mix well. When the milk is hot,slowly pour it over the eggs,a little it at a time so the eggs don’t start curdling on you. Return the whole thing over the stove and cook on medium low heat until it starts to thicken up. Add the white chocolate and stir until it is completely smooth. Strain if necessary. Pour the mixture into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature, covered with plastic wrap punctured with small holes so the pudding does not form a skin while cooling. Pour into dishes and decorate with the pomegranate seeds or eat it straight from the bowl.

Now….one more fun thing to do: announce the Pay It Forward winner. Congratulations to Sara from Ms. Adventures In Italy. So, a litte of France via South Carolina is going to find its way to Italy…pretty cool eh?!! You guys came in mass and I wish I could send you all a little something, I really do, but alas I am not married to Santa!

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Comments


Unknown December 11, 2007 um 4:18 am

Looks tasty, and those cups are so charming!


bakeorbreak December 11, 2007 um 4:34 am

Sounds delicious! And, I love the idea of using votive holders for cups/glasses. Very cute!


Kristen – Dine & Dish December 11, 2007 um 5:07 am

OK – I am so glad that I am not the only one who uses candle holders for dishes! My husband got me started on that….
These look beautiful and I love anything white chocolate. Yum!


Mercotte December 11, 2007 um 6:28 am

Superbe comme d’hab !!!


Manggy December 11, 2007 um 6:46 am

Oh, that’s quite imaginative. Votive candle holders! I have to keep my eyes peeled a bit more when shopping from now on ๐Ÿ™‚
I recognize the recipe as white-chocolate flavored creme patissiere. Yours is so prettily white. I wonder how I can procure eggs with pale yolks ๐Ÿ™‚


Rosa's Yummy Yums December 11, 2007 um 10:26 am

Wow, that dessert must taste extremely good! Wonderful!

Cheers,

Rosa


JEP December 11, 2007 um 10:31 am

Beautiful & so delicious sounding! Love the taste combo you have choosen & thanks for sharing "secrets"!


Graeme December 11, 2007 um 10:44 am

Beautiful. White chocolate is so underrated.

Congratulations to Sara!


WokandSpoon December 11, 2007 um 11:09 am

Heavenly. More for me as my dairy-intolerant husband can’t have any!!


Dana December 11, 2007 um 12:25 pm

Lovely! And I’m with you — I wish it were Friday already too… ๐Ÿ˜‰


Chibog in Chief December 11, 2007 um 1:32 pm

hello tartellette,

i finally saw your site!!

well im not really a white choco lover but these photos i guess just converted me!! and such ingenuity to use candle holders..they are just lovely!!

ps, thanks for helping me out with my pbm on db challenge

bisou,
dhanggit


Finla December 11, 2007 um 2:43 pm

Love the combo and the white and red color just looks so good


Parisbreakfasts December 11, 2007 um 3:05 pm

I’ll happily steal the pomie seeds on top of these..good thing I’m not near your kitchen.
Actually it’s a very good thing!
Irresistable!


Cookie baker Lynn December 11, 2007 um 3:28 pm

I wish I’d had your grandmother to teach me. It took me a long time to learn that a failed recipe didn’t necessarily have to be thrown out.

Whenever I go to the thrift store I browse through their dishes. I can get great bargains when I only need one plate.


linda December 11, 2007 um 3:40 pm

Wonderful combination of flavours! The colour combination too, especially this time of year ๐Ÿ˜‰


zorra December 11, 2007 um 3:52 pm

Your pudding rulez! I’m happy you decided to participate. I love white chocolate in any form, so thank you for joining SHF!


Katy December 11, 2007 um 3:59 pm

yum! we learned in my cooking class that failed chocolate mousse makes chocolate pudding, too. ๐Ÿ™‚ this looks wonderful!


Brilynn December 11, 2007 um 4:07 pm

Wonderful combination! I’m loving pomegranates right now.


Sara, Ms Adventures in Italy December 11, 2007 um 4:15 pm

Wow, I finally won something!! What a prize, I am excited!! ๐Ÿ™‚

Do I pay it forward after I receive a package, or before?


Cheryl December 11, 2007 um 5:27 pm

I know I am like the 100th person to tell you that those holders are gorgeous. They just accent that delicious pudding.


Ben December 11, 2007 um 6:19 pm

Yummy! I am making this tonight. I repeat this with no shame: I love you :-p


Veron December 11, 2007 um 6:36 pm

I agree with everyone who says those glasses are the perfect foil for the heavenly white pudding. Plus that pomegrenate seeds definitely adds a zing to it. Ever considered a career in food styling?


LizNoVeggieGirl December 11, 2007 um 6:55 pm

Wow, for someone who isn’t too keen on puddings, you sure did a superior job with the white-chocolate-pudding!! looks sensational!! I entered a rice-pudding dish for this month’s SHF event :0)

Oh and congratulations to Sara for winning the prize!!


Suganya December 11, 2007 um 7:06 pm

I have read about using votives for food presentation too. But its hard to find a place to store ’em all.


Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) December 11, 2007 um 7:09 pm

Votive candles — what a wonderful idea! They add such elegance to the dish and with the pomegranate seeds on top… wow!


Nora B. December 11, 2007 um 7:49 pm

Helen,
I am so happy to finally see something that is suited for the weather here in Sydney. The colours also make it suitably festive. Beautiful photos as usual Helen.

Nora


Anonymous December 11, 2007 um 9:58 pm

yummmm. i love pudding so much and this looks divine!


aya December 11, 2007 um 11:53 pm

what a beautiful image. looks so enticing!


test it comm December 12, 2007 um 2:27 am

White chocolate pudding sounds amazing!


Tarah at Genesis of a Cook December 12, 2007 um 3:11 am

Ohh, White Chocolate Pudding sounds delicious!

White Chocolate is what I prefer over any other chocolates. Even though white chocolate isn’t really chocolate.

But none the less, I prefer it more :]

Looks beautiful and I think I’m going to be making this really soon :]


Jaime December 12, 2007 um 4:08 am

this dessert looks amazing! it’s funny that you mention where you got your plates/cups etc in this post b/c i was just thinking the other day that i need better ways to plate my goodies and that i should start checking the dollar store and tuesday morning ๐Ÿ™‚


Unknown December 12, 2007 um 5:10 am

I love the pomegranate seeds on top, how elegant looking!


Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen December 12, 2007 um 3:15 pm

Far too pretty to be a pudding, in my opinion…closer to a piece of art! I sounds delicious too and that makes it a deadly combination. Lovely entry for SHF.
Ronell


Patricia Scarpin December 12, 2007 um 4:20 pm

Oh, Helen!! Anything with white chocolate makes me smile. And those pomegranate seeds on top is the icing on the cake (lame pun, I know!). ๐Ÿ™‚


Cynthia December 12, 2007 um 8:09 pm

Great tips and thanks for sharing. I too hunt those racks ๐Ÿ™‚


Suzana December 12, 2007 um 10:34 pm

Lovely combination of flavours & such a cool presentation beautifully photographed!


Anonymous December 13, 2007 um 2:44 am

I saw these at the dollar tree! What a smart idea!


Sabra December 13, 2007 um 4:17 am

you clever girl! love the color the pomegranate seeds add!
-S.
www.cookbookcatchall.blogspot.com


Susan @ SGCC December 13, 2007 um 5:14 am

How clever to use votive cups. I would have never thought of that. They are adorable!


Inne December 13, 2007 um 1:46 pm

that looks soooo yummy, Helen! I can almost taste the sweet-tart combo. The little glasses are very elegant – I too often browse pound (ยฃ) shops, and I also check out charity shops.


Mandy December 13, 2007 um 3:53 pm

what a creative tartelette, who would have thought of using votive holders for desserts! LOL~ You have helped me see light beyond the kitchenware section. ๐Ÿ˜€


Mallow December 13, 2007 um 5:57 pm

So gorgeous! I love the black, white, and red!


Chris December 14, 2007 um 3:17 am

Sounds amazing! I love the cups!


Deborah December 14, 2007 um 4:02 pm

I love the look of the pomegrante on top!! They are absolutely gorgeous.

And thank you for sharing your shopping tips with us. I know my photos will never be as good as yours, but at least maybe I can find some good props now!


eatme_delicious December 17, 2007 um 6:50 am

What beautiful presentation.


Anonymous December 17, 2007 um 9:12 pm

that looks insanely delicious


Mansi December 27, 2007 um 5:56 am

wow Helen, thanks so much for sharing your secrets:) Dollar Store remains to be my fav too for small odds and ends, and as for your pudding, well, its an eye-catcher as usual:)

I still have to post my pudding recipe for SHF!:)


Shaheen December 28, 2007 um 5:43 am

I love your cups! The photo is so pretty ๐Ÿ™‚


Anonymous December 28, 2007 um 9:48 am

a wonderful chocolate pudding! and the picture is gorgeous!


Phoenix Ascending December 28, 2007 um 2:22 pm

Thanks for the insight on your little plates and dishes. I love have little bits to eat out of… it certainly helps with portion size. Lovely pudding as well. It looks so creamy and delicious.


Anonymous December 28, 2007 um 4:08 pm

Stunning-looking!

Ann


Anonymous December 31, 2007 um 1:07 am

We made this pudding for Chirstmas dinner, and whille it was delicious and beautiful and delicious, it WOULD NOT THICKEN. We kept cooking it, on different heat levels, stirring , not stirring, sitting it in the fridge ect. and it WOULD NOT THICKEN. evenutally we made a slurry out of rice flour which thickened it up enough. (after several hours)

Instead of the candle holders, we piped it into belgian chocolate tulip cups, which were even awesomer and more delicoius. The pomegranite and white chocolate taste went well together.


~AmIChristie~ January 15, 2008 um 6:21 am

hi, this look really beautiful..
umm, i was just wondering whether can i use whipping cream instead of milk?


Anonymous May 24, 2008 um 1:02 pm

This tasted amazing, but it never set up for me. I’m wondering if I should have cooked it until it boiled a bit, rather than just until it started to thicken? I’m always worried about overcooking the eggs in custard, and I’m thinking that I might have gone too far the other direction this time.

But, again, great flavor, which renewed my appreciation for white chocolate.


mary December 15, 2011 um 5:38 pm

This looks so delicious! I love the pomegranate seeds on top ๐Ÿ˜€


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