Chocolate Ancho Chile Steamed Pudding Cake

Description

Chocolate and chile pepper are a natural pair. In a pudding cake, they meld like old (actually ancient) boon companions who know exactly how to act together. Served warm, the pudding is more pudding-like. Later at room temperature, it's more cake-like. I recommend cherries in ouzo syrup as extra profit, but a dollop of cream alone suffices.

• Contributed by Pressurecookerrecipes Y-Group
• Source: Kuhn Rikon, Switzerland
• Excerpt from The Pressure Cooker Gourmet by Victoria Wise. ©2003, with permission from Harvard Common Press, 535 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, www.harvardcommonpress.com
• This recipe is from the April 2003 Chef of the Month interview with Victoria Wise.
• Preparation time: 45 Minutes
• Serves 6 to 8 (a 1 quart size pudding cake)

Ingredients

• unsalted butter, for greasing the dish
• 1 dried ancho chile pepper
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken up
• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon anise extract
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 2 large eggs, separated
• ½ cup sugar
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup crème fraîche or lightly whipped heavy cream, for garnish

Directions

1. Lightly grease a 1-quart soufflé dish or heatproof glass bowl.
2. Set a trivet in the pressure cooker and pour in 2 cups water.
3. Tear open the ancho chile, remove the stem, and scrape away the seeds.
4. Place the chile in a small saucepan with water barely to cover and bring toa boil.
5. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and set aside for 30 to 45 minutes to soften.
6. Scrape the pulp off the skin and discard the skin.
7. Mash the pulp with 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid. Set aside.
8. Combine the chocolate, butter, anise extract, and sherry in a small saucepan or microwave bowl.
9. Heat on medium-low on the stove top or microwave on high until the chocolate is soft but still holds its shape, about 3 minutes either way. Set aside.
10. Beat together the egg yolks and sugar in a medium-size bowl until beginning to turn pale yellow.
11. Whisk in the cinnamon, flour, ancho pulp, and chocolate mixture.
12. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into the batter.
13. Pour the batter into the soufflé dish and cover with aluminum foil,pinching around the edges to seal.
14. Set the dish on the trivet in the pressure cooker, lock on the lid, and bring to pressure over high heat, 3 to 4 minutes.
15. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes.
16. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes to finish cooking.
17. With the steam vent pointed away from you face, gently release any remaining pressure.
18. Remove the lid and lift off the foil with kitchen tongs.
19. Let sit until cool enough to handle.
20. To serve, scoop the pudding cake onto individual plates and garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche.
21. Or set aside at room temperature and leave out overnight without refrigerating.
22. Serve the next day without reheating.