I haven’t made anything really sweet like this in almost a month! That’s hard to believe, but it’s true. I guess I really was sweetened out after the holidays. No wonder I’ve lost 8 pounds since January 1st! That in itself is worth noting because I’m not on a diet. Nor have I worked out much. But I have been cooking. For the most part, you guys have seen here what I’ve been eating. It’s definitely not diet food, right? But I lost 8 pounds anyway! This surprising development is proof enough for me that eating and cooking with fresh foods, as opposed to processed foods, is good for me! Hooray for cooking good stuff!! Imagine if I took the really healthy route!
This rich, decadent, not quite good for me but absolutely delicious Baked Chocolate Pudding is fantastic. It’s a cross between brownies and pudding, which makes it doubly delicious in my book. This is not a healthy recipe by any means. With these ingredients, it’s not particularly good for your body, but I can assure you it’s very good for your soul. 
When eaten in moderation, of course. If you love chocolate (I really, really do), brownies in particular, you will love this. It’s a wonderful dessert. I love that it has a crunchy outside and an oh so soft and smooth choclatey pudding inside. It. is. yummy. This recipe is adapted from one by Ina Garten in her cookbook, Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics. You all know how much I love Ina’s recipes, and this one didn’t disappoint.
Annnnnd, this is how the yumminess all starts – With 2 sticks of butter, that needs to be melted and set aside to cool.I just popped mine in the microwave for a minute to do this.
Next, you can either whisk or sift your cocoa powder and flour together in a medium bowl. Set this aside too.
Time to get out the electric mixer, with the paddle attachment attached, and blend the sugar and eggs together…
…until you have a smooth, creamy mixture like this. It took my mixer about 5 minutes on medium speed to get to this texture.
Now it’s time to slowly add the cocoa and flour you whisked together. Be sure to keep the mixer on low speed while you gradually add them. You don’t want cocoa and flour flying around your kitchen. Trust me, I’ve been there, and it’s not fun. At all.
Now it’s time to slowly add that cooled, melted butter. Mix it in until it’s just combined. Meaning, don’t over mix it. You want it to be light and fluffy and look like this. (I can’t lie, I wanted to dive right into that batter at this point)
Pour the batter into a 9 x 12 baking dish that’s been coated with butter or cooking spray. Smooth out the top and bake at 325 degrees F for one hour.
But wait! This has to be baked in a water bath! Not a big deal. Just place your baking dish in a roasting pan, or the disgusting old crappy broiler pan that came with your 20 year old oven, and fill it up with hot water, just until it’s about half way up your pudding/brownie batter. (Note to self: get a damn roasting pan, this is the third time you’ve needed one this month)
Nowwwww, you can bake it for one hour at 325 degrees F.
When it’s done it will look something like this. It might even seem to you like it’s not done baking. But it is. If you put a toothpick in the center, the bottom quarter or so will be wet. That’s what you want – that’s where the pudding-like inside is born. Let it cool a little before you take a bite, it’s really hot! This would be best with some ice cream, but I loved it as is. It definitely took care of that chocolate craving I had yesterday.
One more yay for Ina and another yay for chocolate!
Enjoy this!! In moderation. Of course
Have a terrific Friday guys!
xoxo,
Sarah
Baked Chocolate Pudding (Brownie) Recipe
Adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten in her cookbook, Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics
The recipe below is printed the way I made it here, using vanilla extract rather than vanilla beans. You can print the original recipe at The Food Network
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
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon framboise (raspberry) liqueur, optional (we did not use it)
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions:
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.
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.
When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla , 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.
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.
Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.
This looks soo good!! Quick Question What is 1/2 Pound of butter in cups?
Hi HungryMommy, thanks for the visit! I’m not sure what you mean about the 1/2 pound of butter in cups? I’m not seeing that in the post, but it’s possible I’m missing it. No matter, it sounds like a typo to me. Sorry about that. The 1/2 pound of butter is melted before you mix it with the other ingredients. I hope that helps! Thanks again!
How many cups are there in 1/2 pound – that’s what I meant
Oh, sorry about that. Forgive me, the heat has fried my brain. A 1/2 pound of butter is 1 cup (2 sticks). Thanks for straightening me out HungryMommy! Enjoy your night!
Thanks a Lot!!! Gonna try this tomorrow!
Yay!!!!! I hope you love it!!!! Have FUN!
I abou to make them in around 20 minutes and Are they sweet? I was think of making it 1 1/2 cups of sugar instead if I’ll do that will it be bitter? Thanks ! Hope you reply fast!
Oh crap, I’m sorry I missed you last night Hungry Mommy!! I would guess that the 1 1/2 cups of sugar would be fine, and not too bitter. I can’t wait to hear how it turned out! SOoooooo very sorry I missed you last night….I fell asleep. Ugh!!!
Reblogged this on wiyanmartiwi.
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I have a good friend who is visiting next week in preparation for a move down here, and I’m totally making this for her.
Or maybe I’ll just make it for myself when no one is here.
Both you and you’re friend will love this, I’m pretty sure.
Have FUN!
aaaargh now I want to make that and worryingly, I have all the ingredients…
LOL!!! It’s hard to resist, that’s for sure. Good though. Wow.
Thanks for visiting, I appreciate it!
This looks unbelievable!!! My boyfriend would adore this dish. Thanks for this delicious recipe to add to my stash:)
You are very welcome! Thank you for visiting!
Take care
Congratulations on the 8 pounds you never knew you would lose:) And congratulations on making a completely terrific looking brownie! xoxo Yummy!!!
Thank you! And thank you!! Remarkably, I didn’t gain one of those pounds back after this. Grateful!
Thanks for visiting Smidgen
Love to see you…
YUM!!
You got that right!
Thank you for stopping by
Hope your weekend was wonderful!!
This looks delicious. You take great pictures of the food. Whenever I cook and try to take pictures of it, my hands are all messy and I get the camera all dirty. I have made lots of cooking videos, but a lot of times I would have my son hold the camera if my hands were a mess.
See, I need an assistant like your son, Connie.
Thank you for the compliment on the photos Connie, I try to make the food look as delicious as it is. I keep trying to improve on that…
So glad you stopped by! Thanks for the visit!
First of all, this looks perfectly delicious (I can actually smell the chocolate through my iPad). Second of all, I am the proud owner of one of those disgusting broiler pans. As much as I love to support the folks at Williams-Sonoma and all of their lovely items, now I’m totally glad I didn’t get rid of my “vintage ” broiler pan at last summers’s tag sale. As always, your photos are amazing! I’ll be making this soon.
LOL Allison!!!!! You knew it would come in handy one day, right?
Isn’t that smell app for the iPad wonderful?
Williams-Sonoma…..oh how I love that store. In the West Towne Mall in Madison, it’s right next door to Pottery Barn. I could live there between the two forever
I hope your weekend is fabulous Allison!!!
Yummy!! It looks so rich and moist in the pictures!
I’m so glad that came through in the pics, because that’s exactly what it was. We just loved it. Hubby ate most of this already. Ugh. Thank goodness it’s easy and simple to do.
If you’re wondering where the 8 pounds went, I can tell you. It’s showing up on my scale when I climb onboard! Sheesh!!!!!
Uh Oh. Oops
You’ll have it gone in no time with all your trips to North Pointe!
YUM!!! My kind of food!!
Simple but yummy?
Mine too!!
Mouth is watering…:)
Thanks for the #FF on Twitter today Melanie, you’re such a sweetheart and everyone should go get to know you on your food blog
So, today is Chocolate Cake Day. The idea behind the day is to make, decorate and eat a chocolate cake. I think that this will pass as chocolate cake. Well, at least in my eyes it does.
Get your chocolate cake on girl!!!
LOL! I know! I have to!
I didn’t know this until I saw your comment earlier. That’s my kind of holiday! Next year, I will plan ahead, because I LOVE chocolate cake.
You’re right, this will pass. For this year. I must start planning for next year. NOW.
Talk about the perfect dessert for me! This is like an underdone brownie, which are my favorite kind of brownies! I’m so glad you posted this!!
That’s exactly what it’s like! I agree with you, it’s the perfect dessert for me too. I know it really the spot that was causing my chocolate craving
Thanks for the visit Sassy Girl!
That. Looks. Amazing!
Can you believe the two of us have it almost gone already? Well, one of us ate a whole lot more than the other. Hubby.
Enjoy your weekend Bill!
OMG! A serving (or two!) of this and a scoop (or two!) of vanilla ice cream would plunge me over the edge of reality and into a heavenly trance!! Describing this as food for the soul is absolutely right on, Sarie!!
It’s not too late for me to make something delicious for myself in celebration of my birthday, is it?
Love every minute of today but save some for Saturday and Sunday!
Russ has about killed it already! He can’t stop eating it. Remarkably, I’m the one with control over this one. Normally it would be me eating the whole thing, LOL. There’s a tiny bit left for tomorrow, which he’ll probably get to before I will. He’s mean!
Not a problem, I have all the stuff to make some more
Have a great weekend Shaddy!