Chocolate Almost-Mousse

2½ teaspoons (¼ ounce; 1 packet) unflavored powdered gelatin

2 tablespoons plus 1½ cups milk (13 ounces total)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup (5 ounces) packed light brown sugar

½ cup (1½ ounces) Dutch-process cocoa powder (see note)

¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (see note)

1 cup (8 ounces) heavy cream

Chocolate shavings or curls, for garnish (optional)

Use a fork to stir together the gelatin, 2 tablespoons of the milk and all the vanilla extract in a small bowl, until well incorporated. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, so the gelatin can set up.

Combine the brown sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a small stainless-steel (or other nonreactive) saucepan, using a flexible spatula to stir together the ingredients and break up any lumps. Add the remaining 1½ cups of milk; cook over medium heat, stirring gently until steaming hot - for no more than 5 minutes and no higher than 200 degrees, otherwise the milk will curdle. Remove from the heat.

Add the gelatin-milk mixture, stirring until it has fully dissolved. Transfer to a 4-cup container and cool for 5 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until firm, and up to 1 week. This is the chocolate pudding part of your almost-mousse.

Scrape the chilled chocolate pudding into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on low speed for a few seconds, then slowly increase to medium-high. At first, the pudding will clump like curds of cottage cheese, but continue beating and it will smooth out in a minute. Return to its original container, then pour the cream into the now-empty mixer bowl (without cleaning the bowl).

Switch the attachment on your mixer to a balloon-whisk; beat on medium speed for about 4 minutes, until the cream is whipped just enough that it begins to ball up inside the balloon-whisk attachment.

Use a flexible spatula to gently fold in the chocolate pudding by hand in several additions, until no streaks of white remain. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, and up to 5 days.

Spoon the chilled mixture into parfait dishes or small bowls.

Recipe notes: Parks likes using full-fat Dutch-process cocoa powder here (Droste is one widely available brand), for its rich flavor and because it has been treated to reduce acidity, which would otherwise lead to a tangy and thin pudding. Parks also prefers using Diamond Crystal kosher salt to achieve the right flavor balance. A handheld electric mixer can be used to beat the whipped cream, but it is not recommended for the chocolate pudding; Parks says a strong arm and a flexible spatula is the alternative way to go.

The pudding mixture needs to set in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to a week. After it's smoothed out, leftovers can keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator; just rewhip before serving. The combined pudding and whipped cream needs to be refrigerated for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days.

Serves 8 (makes about 4 cups)

Nutrition Calories: 220; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Sodium: 70 mg; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 21 g; Protein: 4 g.

Adapted from "BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts," by Stella Parks (W.W. Norton, 2017).