Sweet black pudding: the recipe for the typical Carnival chocolate cream

He bloody she is a sweet tooth sweet cream based on Chocolate fondant, bitter cocoa and a pinch of Cinnamon generally prepared on the occasion of Carnival: the dense and enveloping consistency and the slightly spicy flavor make it perfect to accompany the chiacchiere and many other irresistible Carnival sweets. The recipe is part Neapolitan traditionbut today black pudding is recognized as a traditional agri-food product and widespread in various Italian regions, especially in the Centre-South.

The history of black pudding combines religiosity and pagan customs, faith and practical purposes: the name of this sweet tooth dessert spoon this is due to the fact that in ancient times fresh pig’s blood was used for the preparation, a slaughter waste that the Neapolitans were the first to know how to reuse in cooking, while the period in which it was prepared originally is linked to the cult of Sant’Antonio Abbate.

However, as blood is a potential carrier of disease, its sale to the public has been prohibited in Italy since 1992, so the sweet chocolate cream that we know today recalls the original version only for the name, which has remained unchanged despite the absence of the ingredient from which it derives, and the color, an intense dark brown with reddish reflections.

Black pudding is defined as sweet to distinguish it from another type of preparation with the same name, a sausage very common in our country since the time of the ancient Romans which was used as a remedy for anemia due to the high iron content in the blood. .

Find out how to prepare sweet black pudding modern bloodless version: it will conquer young and old from the first tasting.

How to prepare sweet black pudding

Start preparing the black pudding by mixing the sifted flour, bitter cocoa and sugar in a saucepan 1.

Then add the milk little by little and mix well with a whisk to avoid lumps forming. 2.

Also add the cinnamon and vanilla extract, then put on the heat and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough 3it will take about 10-15 minutes.

Now chop the dark chocolate with a knife 4.

Add the chopped chocolate to the mixture and let it melt, stirring with a whisk 5.

Finally add the butter cut into cubes 6. When this is also perfectly mixed, turn off the heat, then pour the black pudding into a low rectangular pyrophile and cover with a transparent contact film, which will prevent the film from forming on the surface. Leave to cool to room temperature, then put the cream in the jars and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Just before serving, transfer the pudding to individual bowls and decorate with colored sprinkles or chocolate drops 7.

Advice

In some regions, flour is used instead of flour.starch gives more, which gives the preparation a softer texture. If you prefer a thicker black pudding, you can use this instead. mashed potatoes.

To make one gluten-free version replace 00 flour with potato starch or rice flour; for a lactose-free version choose a soy or almond drink, and replace the butter with vegetable margarine: so the dessert will also be suitable for those who follow a vegan diet.

If you wish, you can flavor the black pudding with a few drops of alcohol your choice: in this case however, it will not be suitable for children.

storage

The sweet black pudding can be kept in the refrigerator for approx. 7 days in an airtight jar.

The origins of Neapolitan sweet black pudding

Today it is a sweet chocolate cream eaten with the chiacchiere during the carnival period, but once the Neapolitan black pudding has been prepared January 17which is not a random date: it is the day on which it is celebrated Abbate Sant’Antonio, protector of animals, who was often depicted with a pig next to him. And that’s not all: shingles, commonly known as “shingles”, was once treated with pork fat. Thus, on the 17th, at the end of the slaughter ritual, the blood was collected, according to the peasant custom according to which nothing is thrown from the pig.

It is then thanks to Ippolito Cavalcantiauthor of “Cucina theoretical-practical”, that the recipe for black pudding, as well as its method of preservation, have come down to us: in his book Cavalcanti explains that in the 19th century it was common to put it “dinto a lle stentina de puorco“, or inside a pork casing, creating a kind of sweet sausage that was then boiled in hot water and served in slices.