Chocolate Orange Pudding

From http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2011/10/dark-chocolate-orange-pudding-recipe.html

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 ½ cups whole milk
4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-6 drops orange oil

Combine the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in a medium sized saucepan.

Slowly whisk in the eggs, egg yolks, and milk. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until bubbling. Stir in the semi-sweet (or bittersweet) chocolate and unsweetened chocolate.

Continue to cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk. 

Be sure to scrape the sides and the bottoms of the pot as you whisk. As the pudding cooks, it will gradually darken and thicken.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook while gently stirring with a wooden spoon. After 1 – 2 minutes, the pudding should thickly coat the spoon. Stir in the butter, vanilla, and orange oil.

Transfer pudding to 6 small bowls or jars. Cover the surface with plastic wrap as it cools if you do not wish for a skin to form on the top of the pudding. Cool for 30 minutes at room temperature, and then transfer to the refrigerator for about an hour, or up to 2 days.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Banana Souffle

Not much flavor and needs to be sweeter.

Banana Souffle

Adapted from http://abloggablelife.typepad.com/recipes/2011/02/dessert-of-the-gods-recipe-warm-banana-souffle.html

Yield: 2-3 individual servings

2-3 ramekins (reserving the 3rd ramekin for overflow)

Unsalted butter for greasing ramekins

1 large, ripe banana

1 ½ teaspoons fresh-squeezed lime or lemon juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Set racks: you'll be baking these in the lower 1/3 of your oven.

In a medium-sized bowl, mash 1 large, ripe banana with a fork. Add 1 ½ teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; blend thoroughly and set aside. In a clean, chilled bowl using an electric mixer, whip 2 chilled egg whites to a soft peak stage. Gradually add 1 ½ tablespoons sugar and continue whipping egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Working in thirds, gently fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the mashed banana until combined. Spoon souffle mixture into ramekins that are lightly greased with butter, dividing mixture evenly. While some recipes suggest filling the ramekins just short of the top, I suggest filling the ramekins right to the top. Set filled ramekins on a cookie sheet (or jelly roll pan) lined with parchment paper for easy clean-up, and place in lower third of a preheated 450 degree F oven with upper rack removed (which gives souffles room to rise). Turn on the oven's interior light and keep a close eye on your souffles. Resist the temptation to open the door during baking (to do so would risk the souffles falling prematurely). Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. Trust your instincts and judge doneness by rise and top browning evenly, in addition to baking time.

When souffles are properly cooked, remove from oven and dust with confectioner's sugar. Using a non-slip hot pad or thick, textured kitchen towel, remove ramekins to individual plates and serve immediately. 

Martha Stewart's Classic White Bread

White Bread

From http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/classic-white-bread#slide_1

1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast (two ¼ -ounce envelopes)

2 ¼ cups warm water (110 degrees)

3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons honey

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for bowl, pans, and brushing

7 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and dusting

4 teaspoons coarse salt

Sprinkle yeast over ½ cup water. Add 2 teaspoons honey. Whisk until yeast dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle or dough-hook attachment. Add butter and remaining 1 ¾ cups water and 3 tablespoons honey. Whisk flour with salt; add 3 cups to yeast. Mix on low speed until smooth.

Add remaining 4 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until dough comes away from sides of bowl and forms a ragged, slightly sticky ball. Butter a large bowl.

Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes.

Shape into a ball.

Transfer to prepared bowl; cover with plastic wrap.

Let dough stand in a warm place until it doubles in volume (it should not spring back when pressed), about 1 hour.

Butter two 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pans. Punch down dough.

Divide in half.

Shape 1 dough half into an 8 1/2-inch-long rectangle (about 1/2 inch thick). Fold long sides of dough in to middle, overlapping slightly. Press seam to seal. Transfer dough, seam side down, to pan. Repeat with remaining dough.

Brush each loaf with butter, or dust with flour for a rustic look.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drape loaves with plastic. Let stand until dough rises about 1 inch above tops of pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake, rotating pans after 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Transfer to wire racks. Let cool slightly; turn out loaves. Let cool completely before slicing.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Classic White Bread - Martha Stewart Recipes 

NOTE
Bread dough that has been frozen will not have the same taste or consistency as the bread dough that is baked straightaway.