ALMOST AS GOOD-LOOKING AS ROBERT REDFORD
Feeds 12
Look, there’s no way I could resist a dessert with a name like this. I suppose if this dessert suddenly became popular now, instead of in the 1970s, it would be Almost as Good-Looking as Ryan Gosling. Eh, this one’s better. It’s also known as Better Than Sex in some circles, but that’s just a sad name to me. I mean, this is a scrumptious dessert when you make it from scratch: a walnut-butter crust, chocolate pudding, dolloped with sweetened whipped cream cheese–coconut cream. It’s fantastic. Better Than Sex? I hope not. Almost as Good-Looking as Robert Redford it is.
- For the crust
- 140 grams All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend
- 8 tablespoons (115 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup (100 grams) finely chopped walnuts
- For the whipped topping layer
- 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups coconut cream (see Note)
- 1½ cups (185 grams) powdered sugar
- For the pudding
- ⅔ cup (140 grams) organic cane sugar
- ½ cup (60 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup (32 grams) arrowroot flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2¼ cups coconut milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons (29 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the crust. Put the flour blend and butter into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until the flour looks like sandy crumbs. Add the nuts and stir. Press the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and bake until the crust feels firm to the touch, about 10 minutes. Take the dish out of the oven and allow the crust to cool completely.
Make the whipped topping. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the cream cheese and coconut cream together. Sift in the powdered sugar with the mixer running on low. When they are well combined, put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill.
Make the pudding. In a large pot, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, arrowroot, and salt. A few drops at a time, whisk in the coconut milk, making sure that the arrowroot does not clump up. Continue pouring and whisking the milk until it has all been added. Whisk in the egg yolks.
Set the pot over medium heat. Whisk the pudding as it comes to heat. When the pudding starts to boil, turn the heat down to low and whisk vigorously for 1 full minute. Take the pudding off the heat. Add the butter and vanilla and whisk them in. Pour the pudding into a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for 4 hours.
Assemble the dessert. Spread half the whipped topping over the crust in the pan. Dollop the chilled chocolate pudding on top and spread it to the edges. Top with the remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate until chilled and you are ready to serve.
Note: To make coconut cream, put a couple of cans of full-fat coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight. Open the cans and scoop out the thick part of the coconut milk, which will have all gathered at the top of the can, into a bowl. There’s your coconut cream.
