wrong direction), Peter and I finally made it to Danielle’s apartment, where we drank many glasses of cheap white wine before heading out on the town. Hours later, as we drunkenly stumbled down Amsterdam Avenue, buses weaving in and out from the curb, a fire hydrant gushing into the street, the faintest hint of dawn on the horizon, Danielle suggested that we stop at her favorite 24-hour diner for food.
“They have amazing desserts here,” she promised, as we slid into a red vinyl booth. A refrigerated revolving display case filled with layer cakes and cream pies glittered enticingly next to the counter.
We ordered, and when the food came Peter devoured his dish of rice pudding like a runner sitting down to a plate of spaghetti and meatballs after a marathon.
“This is absolutely the most delicious thing I have ever eaten in my entire life,” he slurred between spoonfuls.
Danielle burst out laughing. “That may be true,” she admitted. “But it may also be true that you’re just drunk.”
I’ve never been back to that particular diner, so I can’t speak to the quality of their rice pudding. However, I do believe wholeheartedly that booze and spoon desserts make a winning combination. The recipes in this chapter are totally bib-worthy: sticky, messy, and gooey. Yet they’re also quite impressive, even a tad elegant. Whipped cream, chocolate pudding, and lick-your-fingers fruit sauces never fail to elicit childlike “oohs” and “ahhs” from a crowd. But be forewarned: These desserts aren’t for kids—they’re some of the booziest in the bunch.
Banana-Rum-Raisin Rice Pudding
M AKES
6
SERVINGS
A FTER A DELICIOUS MEAL IN PARIS , I ordered a rum-based dessert. To my surprise, the waiter brought over the rum and the dessert separately. After setting the plate and the bottle on the table, he indicated that I should pour as much rum over my piece of cake as I wanted . . . let’s just say I had a very lovely—if a bit loopy—stroll home along the winding cobblestone streets!
I wasn’t quite so heavy-handed when developing this recipe, but the rum flavor is still very intense. The secret to perfect rice pudding is to stick close to the kitchen as it cooks—it needs to be stirred almost constantly.
1½ cups water
¾ cup arborio rice
½ teaspoon salt
⅓cup dark rum
⅔ cup raisins
2¾ cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup sugar
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
½ cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)
Bring the water to a boil in a medium-large saucepan. Add the rice and salt, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the rum and the raisins in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer until the rum is almost absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Uncover the rice and add the milk, cream, and sugar. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and toss the bean into the pot as well.
Increase the heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is creamy and thick, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the rum and raisins.
Allow the pudding to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, and then stir in the mashed banana. Refrigerate until chilled, or spoon into bowls and serve warm.
Chocolate Pots de Booze
M AKES
6
SERVINGS
F OR A LONG TIME, I NEVER MADE BAKED PUDDINGS or pots de crème because I didn’t own a set of ramekins, nor did I want to buy them and thus further clutter my tiny Brooklyn kitchen. Then a friend told me I could just as easily use coffee mugs (make sure they are a ceramic, ovenproof variety). The pots de crème won’t come out looking quite as professional, but I actually like the mismatched, carefree style better.
6 large egg yolks
⅓ cup sugar
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur, such as Kahlùa
2¼ cups heavy cream
¼ cup whiskey
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Position a rack in the
“They have amazing desserts here,” she promised, as we slid into a red vinyl booth. A refrigerated revolving display case filled with layer cakes and cream pies glittered enticingly next to the counter.
We ordered, and when the food came Peter devoured his dish of rice pudding like a runner sitting down to a plate of spaghetti and meatballs after a marathon.
“This is absolutely the most delicious thing I have ever eaten in my entire life,” he slurred between spoonfuls.
Danielle burst out laughing. “That may be true,” she admitted. “But it may also be true that you’re just drunk.”
I’ve never been back to that particular diner, so I can’t speak to the quality of their rice pudding. However, I do believe wholeheartedly that booze and spoon desserts make a winning combination. The recipes in this chapter are totally bib-worthy: sticky, messy, and gooey. Yet they’re also quite impressive, even a tad elegant. Whipped cream, chocolate pudding, and lick-your-fingers fruit sauces never fail to elicit childlike “oohs” and “ahhs” from a crowd. But be forewarned: These desserts aren’t for kids—they’re some of the booziest in the bunch.
Banana-Rum-Raisin Rice Pudding
M AKES
6
SERVINGS
A FTER A DELICIOUS MEAL IN PARIS , I ordered a rum-based dessert. To my surprise, the waiter brought over the rum and the dessert separately. After setting the plate and the bottle on the table, he indicated that I should pour as much rum over my piece of cake as I wanted . . . let’s just say I had a very lovely—if a bit loopy—stroll home along the winding cobblestone streets!
I wasn’t quite so heavy-handed when developing this recipe, but the rum flavor is still very intense. The secret to perfect rice pudding is to stick close to the kitchen as it cooks—it needs to be stirred almost constantly.
1½ cups water
¾ cup arborio rice
½ teaspoon salt
⅓cup dark rum
⅔ cup raisins
2¾ cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup sugar
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
½ cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)
Bring the water to a boil in a medium-large saucepan. Add the rice and salt, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the rum and the raisins in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer until the rum is almost absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Uncover the rice and add the milk, cream, and sugar. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and toss the bean into the pot as well.
Increase the heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is creamy and thick, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the rum and raisins.
Allow the pudding to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, and then stir in the mashed banana. Refrigerate until chilled, or spoon into bowls and serve warm.
Chocolate Pots de Booze
M AKES
6
SERVINGS
F OR A LONG TIME, I NEVER MADE BAKED PUDDINGS or pots de crème because I didn’t own a set of ramekins, nor did I want to buy them and thus further clutter my tiny Brooklyn kitchen. Then a friend told me I could just as easily use coffee mugs (make sure they are a ceramic, ovenproof variety). The pots de crème won’t come out looking quite as professional, but I actually like the mismatched, carefree style better.
6 large egg yolks
⅓ cup sugar
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur, such as Kahlùa
2¼ cups heavy cream
¼ cup whiskey
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Position a rack in the
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