Guinness Chocolate Pudding {St. Patty's Day}

It's not a St. Patrick's Day dinner without a Guinness dessert, right? Usually I make a Guinness Chocolate Cake of some kind.

Guinness + Chocolate = Bliss

But this year, I wanted to do something a little bit different. And I was inspired by a chocolate dessert drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt that R had ordered somewhere. I can't remember where now...

D was not impressed with the way the dessert looked. He wrinkled his little nose in disgust. "You made a cow patty for dessert, Mom?!?" No! "That really doesn't look appetizing. Not at all." You're right. But it will taste amazing!

I'll admit, it's not the most attractive dessert I've ever made. But it was delicious...chocolate-y goodness incarnate!

Ingredients

• 8 egg yolks
• 3/4 C organic dark brown sugar, lightly packed + 2 T
• One bottle of Guinness, divided into 1 C + the rest
• 2 C organic heavy cream
• 7 oz. high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 T corn starch
• nice, high-quality olive oil for drizzling
• fleur de sel for garnish

Procedure

In mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 3/4 C brown sugar. In a medium saucepan, pour the cream and 1 C Guinness and heat over medium flame, whisking occasionally, until bubbles begin to form at the edges. Remove from heat, add in the chocolate, and let stand for 3 minutes. Whisk till smooth.

Slowly pour the egg-sugar mixture into the chocolate, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return mixture to heat and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add in the corn starch. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon, about 15 minutes. 

Spoon the pudding into a bowl and lay a piece of plastic wrap over the top so that a film doesn't form on the top. Chill in the fridge till thickened.

Meanwhile, pour remaining Guinness into small saucepan, stir in 2 T of brown sugar, and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to a thick syrup. Pour syrup into small bowl and let cool.

To serve, scoop some pudding onto a plate. Drizzle with olive oil. Drizzle with Guinness syrup. Sprinkle with fleur de sel.