->Choc Pecan Pudding <-

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 cups pecan pieces (about 5 1/2 ounces)

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick (4 ounces) butter, softened

1 tablespoon bourbon

5 eggs, separated

Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the chocolate in a small heatproof

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 tablespoon of the sugar to

the remaining nuts and grind to a fine powder. Combine the finely

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 in 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 they 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 one-fourth of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter,

then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

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 the 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

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 reamaining sauce separately.

Bourbon Sauce

1 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

2 tablespoons bourbon

teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine the milk and sugar.

Bring to a boil over moderate heat.

Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl until liquified. When the milk

boils, gradually whisk 1/3 of it into the yolks. Return the

remaining milk to a boil over low heat and whisk in the yolk mixture.

1 to

minutes; do not let boil. Immediately remove from the heat.

Whisk the sauce constantly for 1 minute to cool. Strain through

a fine sieve into a bowl and whisk for 30 seconds. Stir in the

bourbon and the vanilla. Serve warm.