Biscuit pudding....for the soul!

Darlings,you haven't lived until you've tasted this absolutely creamy,dreamy,delicious,calorie laden,knock your socks off,ultimate dessert!And if such food couldn't make you fat or clog your arteries or stop your heart,I would be having this every day of my life...for breakfast lunch and dinner!
This recipe comes from my best friend Reshma.A few years back,I visited her at her home in Palakkad and we spent some good time together.Her mom cooked a yum biriyani for lunch and Reshma made this wonderful pudding for dessert.One spoonful and I fell in love with it instantly!It was entirely different from the biscuit pudding that I had been eating all my life(biscuits soaked in coffee,layered and drizzled with cocoa sauce and topped with beaten egg whites).Back home,I jotted down the new recipe quickly and it remains my favorite dessert to this day!
'My favoritest dessert by my bestest friend!'
Bad english,I know....but I'm just a little tipsy after shamelessly devouring half a tray of this scrummy pudding!
I tweaked the original recipe here and there to make the sin more unpardonable.I used milk biscuits instead of arrowroot biscuits and I also added a layer of custard.And since it is February and most of us would have already waded off our healthy new year resolutions,go ahead and dunk in!!

Linking this to the Cakes,Cookies and Desserts event at Spice and sugar tales.

BISCUIT PUDDING

500 gms plain milk biscuits(Brittania milk bikis)
100 gms butter(softened)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3/4+1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar+extra for the custard
1+1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
1 tsp coffee powder
2-3 tbsp hot water
1 cup fresh cream
1 tbsp powdered sugar

Method:

Using your hands,break biscuits into small pieces.
Rub in the butter until all the biscuit pieces are well coated.Keep aside.
To prepare chocolate sauce,combine cocoa powder,3/4 cup milk,1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla essence.Make sure all lumps are removed.Keep on medium-low flame and stir for 8 to 10 minutes.Keep this aside.
Make custard by double boiling 1 cup milk,1 beaten egg and enough sugar.Keep stirring till custard reaches a thick consistency. Remove from flame and add 1 tsp vanilla essence.Strain to remove lumps and keep this aside.
Mix 1 tsp coffee powder in hot water and keep aside.
Layer a pudding dish with half the biscuits.Pour half of the chocolate sauce over the biscuits,followed by half of the custard.Sprinkle half of the coffee over this.Repeat with the next layer - biscuits,chocolate sauce,custard and coffee.Press down with a spatula so that all the biscuits are well immersed in the sauces.
Refrigerate for at least half an hour or until partly set before topping with fresh cream.

Fresh Cream Topping

Make sure the fresh cream is well chilled.You can also freeze your whisks and mixing bowl for 15 minutes to quicken the beating process.Sometimes it helps if you beat with your bowl kept over ice cubes.
Beat chilled fresh cream until smooth.Add powdered sugar and beat again until soft peaks form.
Spoon uniformly over the pudding.
Decorate by sprinkling chocolate sauce or chocolate shavings.
Enjoy!Enjoy!Enjoy!

NOTE:The pudding tastes best if it is kept outside the refrigerator in room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.