Triple Chocolate Custard Recipes

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-by-2-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter and eggs. Alternate whisking the flour mixture and the buttermilk and coffee into the sugar and egg mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 20 minutes, then flip the cake out onto the rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• For the custard: Put the chocolate and butter in a medium bowl and set a fine-mesh sieve over it. In another medium bowl, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks together until smooth.
• Bring the milk and the cocoa powder to a simmer in a small pot. While whisking, add about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture to the yolk mixture. Repeat this process until the two are completely combined. Return the mixture to the pot and heat over medium while stirring constantly. Bring the custard to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately pour the custard through the sieve into the bowl with the chocolate. After the butter and chocolate have melted, whisk until smooth. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, making sure the plastic touches the surface of the custard, and chill until completely cold, about 1 hour.
• For the glaze: Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan and pour it over the chocolate. Let the mixture stand until smooth and then whisk it to combine. Whisk in the salt. Chill the glaze, stirring occasionally, until it is thick enough to spread over the top of the cake, 20 to 30 minutes.
• To assemble the cake, cut it in half crosswise. Spread the chocolate custard evenly over the bottom half, and replace the top half. Spread the glaze evenly over the top.

Steps:

• Beat eggs and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.
• Whisk milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, brandy, and salt together in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Slowly pour 1/2 of the milk mixture into the beaten eggs while stirring; pour mixture back into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not boil.
• Let custard cool to room temperature, at least 10 minutes. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, stir together syrup, milk, and sugar.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles at edges.
• Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and vanilla until well-blended.
• While stirring constantly, slowly pour in heated milk.
• Stir until well combined.
• Pour into pie shell.
• Bake in a preheated 350 F oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack.
• Serve warm or refrigerate and chill thoroughly to serve cold.
• Garnish with whipped cream and mint leaves, if desired, just before serving.

Steps:

• To make brownies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• In a large saucepan, melt butter. Remove pan from heat and stir in chopped chocolate until fully melted. Stir in cocoa and sugar until combined. Slowly add eggs, whisking chocolate mixture constantly, then whisk in vanilla. Fold in flour and salt.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until just firm, about 25 minutes (do not overbake). Transfer pan to a rack to cool. If using spirits, prick holes in hot brownies and drizzle evenly over pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in 3/4 cup milk. In a large saucepan, bring remaining 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream to a boil over medium heat. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into cocoa mixture. Return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking gently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. (A simmering bubble or two is O.K., but do not let it boil.)
• In a medium heat-resistant bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking them constantly, very slowly dribble about half the cocoa-milk mixture into yolks until fully combined. Pour yolk mixture into saucepan with remaining cocoa-milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking occasionally, over medium-low heat, until thickened, about 5 minutes. (Do not let mixture come to a simmer. If pan begins to steam thickly, remove from heat for a few moments and stir well before continuing.) Let cool slightly.
• Melt 5 ounces chopped chocolate with butter. Stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool 5 minutes, then fold into thickened egg mixture. Place plastic wrap directly against pudding (to prevent a skin from forming), and chill until set, about 3 hours. (Pudding and brownies can be made up to 5 days ahead, and refrigerated.)
• Just before assembling, in an electric mixer, beat remaining 2 1/2 cups cream with remaining 5 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar until it forms soft peaks. Scrape down sides and fold in any excess cocoa or sugar.
• Cut brownies into 1-inch squares. Fit a layer of brownie squares in bottom of a 4-quart trifle, glass, or other bowl. Top with half the pudding, a third of the whipped cream, a third of the remaining chopped chocolate and a third of the raspberries. Repeat layering until all ingredients have been used. Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 24 hours before serving.