recipe: chocolate pudding

i don't make weak chocolate pudding. this is amazingly high-test, and a little bit goes a long way. it's basically stabilized fat and sugar.

to anyone who actually attempts this recipe (kudos to you!): it's not easy. it's not starched, meaning the only thickening action you'll get is from the yolks. and it's really, really easy to end up with chocolate scrambled eggs. i wish i could tell you when to add your eggs and when to pull the whole thing off the stove. but i can't. it's kind of a feel-sight thing. it'll go from thickish to thick-and-glossy to, i presume, coagulated. pull it right when it goes thick-and-glossy. does that help? 150-155* F, no higher.

assembly & finish
1&1/3C light cream
5oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped - i used barry callebaut because it was on sale at whofo, but you could use valrhona or scharffen-berger with equal success. don't bother with cheap chocolate.
1/2tsp salt
1/3C sugar
2 egg yolks, whisked in a small bowl

heat all ingredients except the yolks in a small pot over medium-low heat. stir constantly. when it looks right, add a little to the yolks and then dump them into the pot. stir like hell. remove when it's just barely done, as it'll heat a little residually. pour into whatever containers you prefer, and chill until cold. don't forget to lick the spatula.

serves four very greedy people.