Chocolate Pecan Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Ingredients:
4 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 Cup Green Valley brand Pecan pieces (about 5 1/2 oz.)
1/3 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Stick (4 oz.) butter, softened
1 Teaspoon Bourbon
5 Eggs, separated
Pinch of salt
Bourbon Sauce

Preheat oven to 350°. Place the chocolate in a small heat-proof bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of hot water and set the bowl over a pan of hot, but not simmering, water. Stir with a whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the water and let the chocolate cool to room temperature. Coarsely chop the Pecan pieces in a food processor. Remove 1/2 cup of the pecans and set aside. Add 1 teaspoon of the sugar to the remaining nuts and grind to a fine powder. Combine the finely chopped ground pecans, bread crumbs and cinnamon in a bowl: mix well and set the mixture aside.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter with half the remaining sugar until soft and light. Beat the cooled chocolate and then the bourbon. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating until smooth. Stir in the pecan bread crumb mixture.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until the form very soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar in a slow stream and continue beating until the egg whites hold soft peaks. Stir 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

Pour the batter into a buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish or 8 inch square baking pan. Smooth the top. Scatter the reserved chopped pecans evenly over the surface of the batter. Place baking dish in a larger pan and pour hot tap water into the larger pan to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake the pudding in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pudding puffs and feels slightly firm when pressed with the palm of the hand: do not overbake.

To serve, spoon the warm chocolate pecan pudding onto dessert plates. Ladle 2 or 3 tablespoons of the Bourbon Sauce over.

Pass the remaining sauce separately.

The Pecan Store
www.pecanstore.com
1625 E. Sahuarita Rd.,
Sahuarita, Arizona 85629
1.800.327.3226, fax 520.629.0119