Chocolate Pudding Made by Pastry Chef Jessica Craig

Chocolate Pudding (with TCHO 54 percent Dark Milk Chocolate)
Made by TCHO Pro Jessica Craig, pastry chef at Almond
(Eight, 2-inch ramekins)

Ingredients
Pudding:
1 cup milk
4 gelatin sheets (gold)
2 cups heavy cream
1 lb. TCHO 54 percent Dark Milk Chocolate
¼ tsp. salt

Caramel Topping:
8 oz. sugar
2 oz. water
1 cup cream
½ oz. butter
¼ tsp. salt
splash of vanilla

[caption id="attachment_103535" align="alignnone" width="600"] Jessica Craig's Chocolate Pudding. Brian Benton photo.[/caption]

To Prepare:
Chocolate Pudding:
Place gelatin sheets in a cup of cold water to bloom for 3 minutes. Set aside.
Place the chocolate in a large bowl, and set aside.
In a small sauce pot, heat the cream and whisk in the bloomed gelatin sheets on medium heat until it starts to simmer.
Pour the liquid over the chocolate and whisk together until smooth then pour the chocolate mixture into eight, 2-inch ramekins then place in the refrigerator to set.
After 15 minutes cover the pudding with a sheet of plastic wrap pressed against the surface and refrigerate until fully thickened, about 2 hours.

Caramel:
In a tall stainless steel pot, on low heat, stir together the sugar and water with a spatula until the sugar is completely melted. Then, remove your spatula, turn up the heat and cook until the mixture starts to bubble and turn a dark amber color.
(TCHO Pro Tip: For best results, once you have increased the temperature, do not use a utensil in the pot to prevent the sugar from crystalizing. You may gently swirl the caramel in the pot using the pot handle.)
Once the sugar is a dark amber color, turn off the heat and gently add the cream in 2 to 3 parts and whisk together.
Add softened butter, salt, and vanilla and whisk together until smooth.
Let the caramel cool for 30 minutes.

Assembly:
Pour chocolate pudding into small ramekins, set in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Pour room temperature caramel over the chocolate pudding.
Chop chocolate into small pieces and sprinkle over the caramel for added flavor and texture.
Finish with a sprinkle of sea salt.