sugar cube stars ✦

Squirrel Pudding

click on the above image for the original recipe!

Ingredients (makes 5, assuming 120mL capacity molds)

Pudding

• 3 medium-size eggs
• 350mL milk
• 80g caster/white sugar (B)
• A little vanilla extract

Caramel Sauce

• 60g caster/white sugar (A)
• 2 teaspoons water
• 20mL boiling water

Decoration

• 100mL fresh cream
• 1 teaspoon caster/white sugar (C)
• 6 cherries (canned)
• 12 almonds

Preparation

Before making the caramel, coat the pudding molds with a thin layer of butter. The butter will help the pudding come out easily later! See here for more information.

Steps

1. Heat the sugar (A) and water in a saucepan over medium heat.
   
   ★ Ichika's Advice ★
   The key is not to stir the mixture until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has become a light brown color. If you do, the sugar will crystallize and become lumpy!


2. When all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture has started to turn a light color, reduce the heat a little and gently move the pan around to ensure even heating.


3. When the the mixture becomes fragrant, the color darkens, and you see a bit of smoke, turn off the heat and add the hot water.
   
   ★ Ichika's Advice ★
   Be careful not to burn yourself on the rising steam! You can pour the hot water from a container with a handle to make it safer.
4. Mix quickly, then evenly pour the caramel mixture into the pudding molds. Leave to cool, or place in the refrigerator until the pudding mixture is ready.
   
   ★ Ichika's Advice ★
   If the caramel is still warm when you add the pudding mixture, it will mix together.


5. Beat the eggs.
   ★ Ichika's Advice ★
   The key is to whisk the eggs with a cutting motion, so you don't introduce air! If the eggs foam up, the pudding won't be smooth.
6. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and sugar (B) and mix gently. Heat until bubbles start to form along the edges of the pan.
7. Add (6) to (7) and mix. Add the vanilla extract.


8. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer. Pour the strained pudding mixture into the pudding molds.
   ★ Ichika's Advice ★ Straining the mixture will make it smoother. Moving the molds after the pouring the mixture tends to spill it, so place the molds onto your baking tray first!


9. Place the baking tray into a 160℃ oven. Add boiling water to the tray until it covers about 3cm of the bottom of the pudding molds. Bake for 45-50 minutes.
   
   ★ Ichika's Advice ★
   It's dangerous to move the tray after it's been filled with hot water, so placing it in the oven first makes it safer!
10. Remove the puddings from the oven. Cover them with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for around 5 hours.


11. Remove the pudding from the mold. Gently press down on the pudding's surface along the edge in a circle. This helps air form a gap between the pudding and the mold.
    
    ★ Ichika's Advice ★
    If it's hard to remove, run a knife or bamboo skewer along the edge of the mold!
12. Place a plate on top of the pudding mold and hold firmly with both hands. Flip both over so that the pudding mold is now upside-down on top of the plate, then shake the mold gently and slowly lift it up to release the pudding.


13. Set a bowl in ice water, then add cream and sugar (C). Whisk until the cream forms soft peaks.
14. Transfer the whipped cream (13) to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a line along the side of the pudding for the tail, and a swirl on the top of the pudding.


15. Warm up the chocolate pen, cut the tip, and draw the eyes, nose, and tail.
    
    ★ Ichika's Advice ★
    If the chocolate doesn't want to stick to the pudding when you draw, gently press a paper towel to the pudding surface to soak up any excess moisture!
16. Top with two almonds for ears and a cherry on top of the cream.