When this month’s issue of Food & Wine arrived touting “72 Genius Recipes & Hacks from the Pros” on the cover, it got rifled through so quickly that it’s a miracle there’s any ink left on its pages. Offering a collection of “healthier” versions of the participating chefs’ favorites dishes, it’s a pretty stellar “to do” list. One recipe that stood out—for a couple of reasons—was chef Matthew Accarrino’s “Milk Chocolate-Peanut Custard.” For one, the concept of a healthy dessert always raises suspicion, calling to mind some tree-hugger rhetoric stating that “fruit is Nature’s dessert.” Hippie, please. If dessert was a health food, it would be green, leafy, and grow in a garden. Instead, thankfully, dessert is a time-honored tradition that combines the elegant structure of science with the glory and creativity of the human sweet tooth. You don’t toy with that. On closer inspection though, the technique was entirely too intriguing not to try. With a few clever tips and tricks, this typically calorie-dense sweet treat was made a little more user- and waistline-friendly. It also seemed like a perfect, simple finishing touch for your romantic Valentine’s dinner.
Most notably, the egg yolks that make traditional custards and puddings so rich and luxe went by the wayside. Chef Accarrino reduced the amount of cream, used peanuts as a thickening agent–they were “cooked” in chocolate milk and puréed–then incorporated silken tofu for additional body. It resulted in a texturally perfect, deeply chocolate and peanut flavored custard. For our purposes, we wanted to make the dessert soy free, so instead of tofu, this recipe calls for Greek yogurt. This added more protein to the dish (yay!) and imparted a lovely, light tang to the custard. That combination of chocolate, peanuts and Greek yogurt actually called to mind a Reese’s peanut butter cup cheesecake, so you’re welcome.
To play further into the healthy theme, this recipe used nut milk (almond and cashew) in place of the dairy milk. The ensure proper thickening, the amount of milk was reduced slightly. Also, quelling the usual impulse to reach for the dark chocolate, Kyle stuck with the milk chocolate from the original recipe, for once. The fear was that the dark chocolate flavor would overpower everything else and give more of a chocolate flavored yogurt vibe. Delicious, yes, but not what we were going for.
Once the peanuts are simmered and softened, the rest is as simple as can be. You pour the nut milk, peanuts and yogurt into the pitcher of a blender, add the sweetener, chocolate chips and a pinch of kosher salt then blend everything down to as smooth a consistency as you can manage. Divide the pudding into four 8-ounce cups or small dessert bowls and chill it for a couple of hours. It really is that simple.
For planning purposes, this can be made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight. As far as garnishes are concerned, a dollop of reserved Greek yogurt adds a beautiful color contrast and some additional tang, and we’ve used a bit of chocolate granola for a little crunch. From a presentation standpoint, this elevates a humble pudding cup to a dessert fit for even the most special of occasions.
Food & Wine offers even more topping ideas, suggesting a sprinkling of either cocoa powder, sea salt, or even espresso salt. (Note to self: Learn how to make espresso salt.) If you don’t have any granola on hand, you could use crumbled, chocolate-flavored Rice Chex to keep it gluten free. If you want a vegan version, substitute strained coconut yogurt, which will also give you a subtle tropical note. Once you’ve given this technique a try, it might just become your go-to for a simple, less guilty pleasure.
The wheels are already turning in the test kitchen, so expect more versions of this luscious treat in future posts. Chocolate-hazelnut is in the running as a more high-end (i.e. expensive) Nutella-inspired version, and this seems like a perfect showcase for the Caramelized White Chocolate, paired with pistachios, of course. Like we said, the wheels are turning. Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
Adapted from Food & Wine.
- ⅔ cup almond, cashew, or other nut milk
- ⅔ cup roasted unsalted peanuts
- ⅔ cup Greek yogurt, plus extra for garnish
- 6½ ounces (about 1 cup) milk chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon light agave or corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- chocolate granola, for serving
- In a small saucepan, combine the milk and peanuts and cook over moderate heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer peanut/milk mixture to a blender. Add the Greek yogurt, milk chocolate, agave syrup (or corn syrup) and kosher salt and blend at high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide the custard into four 8-ounce ramekins or small dessert bowls. Refrigerate until set, 1 to 2 hours.
- Serve the custards topped with extra yogurt and granola (Food and Wine recommends cocoa powder, sea salt, or espresso salt for added garnish, which I’m sure would be delicious, but weren’t necessary for the final dish).
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