Triple Chocolate Custard Recipes

MILE-HIGH TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO MOUSSE PIE

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch-round, 3-inch-deep springform pan with butter. Pulse cookies and granulated sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter and salt, pulsing until texture resembles that of wet sand. Press mixture evenly into bottom and halfway up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust is set and dry to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool completely. (Crust can be loosely wrapped and stored at room temperature up to 1 day.)
• Mousses: Melt both chocolates in separate heatproof bowls set over (but not in) a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until only pea-size lumps remain. Remove from heat; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Let cool to warm room temperature. Stir 1 egg yolk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into each bowl just to combine.
• In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar; increase speed to medium-high and beat to soft peaks. With motor running, gradually add granulated sugar and beat to stiff, glossy peaks.
• Stir 1 cup meringue into each bowl with chocolate mixture. Divide remaining meringue evenly between mixtures, gently folding in until no streaks remain. Whisk cream with confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Divide evenly between chocolate mixtures, gently folding in until no streaks remain.
• Pour bittersweet-chocolate mousse into crust, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Gently pour milk-chocolate mousse over bittersweet mousse, smoothing top.
• Espresso Cream: Whisk cream, espresso powder, and confectioners' sugar to stiff peaks. Spread evenly over milk-chocolate mousse in pan, smoothing top. Refrigerate until set, at least 8 hours. (Pie can be loosely covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
• To serve, lightly dust top with cocoa, then run a thin knife around edges of pan to loosen; unlock pan and lift sides to remove. Transfer pie to a serving plate or cake stand and cut into wedges.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CUSTARD PIE

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.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. In a thin stream, pour in the milk whisking until smooth. In a thin stream, add in the half-and-half and whisk until smooth.
• Pour the mixture through a fine sieve or chinois into a saucepan. Over medium heat, whisking the mixture constantly, bring to a boil. Boil gently 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the bittersweet chocolate and vanilla extract. Transfer the custard to a mixing bowl.
• Fill a large bowl with ice cubes, rest the mixing bowl on top, and add cold water to cover the ice cubes. Let the mixture cool, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, about 15 minutes.
• Fold in the white chocolate and pour the mixture into 1-cup ramekins, cups or mugs.
• Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve cold with dollops of whipped cream.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE TRIFLE WITH RASPBERRIES

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.