Baked Chocolate Pudding/Brownie Pudding

By TrayH

Enjoy this insanely decadent dessert for any special occassion... a chocolate lovers dream! Recipe by "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics" by Ina Garten.

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
• Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tablespoon framboise liqueur (optional, but I strongly recommend!)
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

* Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 x 12 x 2 inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 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, lower the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, 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 three-quarters 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.