Preparation

1. Prepare the pudding. In a medium saucepan bring the milk to a boil. Lower the flame and whisk in the rice with a pinch of salt. Cover and cook the rice until it is tender — about 40 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

3. Mix the cream, milk, brandy, sugar, dates, apricots and cranberries into the rice.

4. Add a few tablespoons of hot rice to the yolks to compare temperatures and mix well. Add the hot yolks to the rice mixture in a thin stream and mix until a uniform mixture is obtained.

5. Fill the individual baking utensils with the pudding mixture, and make sure to stir the mixture thoroughly after each addition. Pour boiling water into the baking dish up to half the height of the baking dish and put in the oven. Bake until the pudding is firm on the sides but still soft in the center — about 25 minutes.

6. Prepare the chocolate-brandy sauce. In a small saucepan bring the cream to a boil along with the butterbrandy. In a heat-proof bowl, put the dark chocolate and pour the hot cream over it, wait about a minute until the chocolate melts and whisk until you get a smooth sauce. Make sure the sauce stays warm until served.

7. Remove the pudding dish from the baking dish and let stand for about 10 minutes. Transfer them to serving saucers and pour around them a "puddle" of hot sauce