The Winter Sex Recipe

Prep the bread and oven

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9x9-inch or similar baking dish. Place pumpernickel bread cubes in a large bowl and toss with the melted butter to coat evenly; this will help create crisp edges.

Melt chocolates

Place dark, milk, and white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Melt gently in 20-30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring between bursts, or use a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of each melted chocolate separately if you want swirls; otherwise combine all melted chocolate into one mixture.

Make custard

In a medium bowl, whisk together whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and cocoa powder until smooth and slightly frothy. Pour half of the warm (not hot) custard over the melted chocolate and whisk to temper and combine; then whisk chocolate-custard back into remaining custard until homogeneous.

Assemble

Pour the chocolate custard evenly over the buttered bread cubes, pressing gently so the bread absorbs the custard. If reserving separate chocolates for swirls, drizzle them over the top and use a knife to create subtle marbling. Let sit for 15-20 minutes at room temperature to ensure the bread is fully saturated.

Bake

Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 15-20 minutes more, until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center and the top is golden with some crisp edges. A knife inserted should come out mostly clean. Total bake time ~40-45 minutes depending on dish depth.

Rest

Remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes; the pudding will firm up slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with cheesecake ice cream and spiked cherry compote.

Prepare base

In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth, then whisk in the heavy cream, granulated sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust sweetness or lemon to mimic cheesecake tang.

Chill

Cover the mixture and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Chilling improves texture and helps the ice cream churn properly.

Churn

Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (usually 20-30 minutes).

Harden

Transfer ice cream to a lidded container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up to scoopable texture. If making ahead, freeze up to 2 weeks.

Cook cherries

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine cherries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and orange zest. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries soften and release juices.

Add alcohol and reduce

Stir in the bourbon or dark rum and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes to meld flavors and to burn off a bit of alcohol. If you prefer no alcohol, substitute an equal amount of cherry juice or orange liqueur non-alcoholic alternative.

Thicken (optional)

If you prefer a thicker compote, mix the cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, then stir it into the simmering cherries and cook another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity.

Cool

Let the compote cool slightly; it will thicken further as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature over the bread pudding and cheesecake ice cream.

Scoop generous portions of warm triple chocolate pumpernickel bread pudding onto plates. Top each portion with a scoop of chilled cheesecake ice cream. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of warm spiked cherry compote over the ice cream and around the pudding.

Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired and garnish with a fresh mint leaf. Serve immediately so the contrast between warm pudding and cold ice cream is preserved.