Chocolate Pudding

We are doing our very best to make this a fun and special week. It's been an incredibly bizarre school year, and, to top it all off, the kids and I have different Spring breaks. Eek! So, I'm doing all I can to make after school time lots of fun - trips to the playground, games of catch in the back yard, and, of course, exciting and delightful treats for dinner and dessert.

Last night, I used up our colored Easter eggs by making these pretty darn cute egg chicks, with a side of peas and some leftover rolls from my mother in law. But we ate early and finished early, and the kids were hoping for a fun dessert. Let me say that pudding is one of our favorite desserts, but I have no patience or interest in the artificially concocted puddings you pick up at the grocery store, so I've been trying to find an easy recipe that works. This one definitely fits the bill. It was very easy to make. The original recipe calls for all ingredients to be at room temperature, but since I decided at the last minute to make the dish, I simply tempered the egg yolks with a little of the heated cream mixture before adding them into the pot.


You need:

2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
2/3 c. sugar
pinch of salt
1 c. heavy cream or half and half
3 egg yolks, at room temperature (save the whites for an omelette in the morning!)
2 c. whole milk, at room temperature
4 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla
whipped cream for topping (optional)


In a medium saucepan, whisk the first four ingredients over medium-high heat. Whisk in the cream, then egg yolks, then milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Once it starts to thicken, add the chocolate chips. Reduce heat, still whisking, and then add the butter and vanilla. Once the pudding is fairly thick (and remember that it will continue to thicken as it cools), turn off the heat and place into individual serving dishes. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cool in the fridge.

(makes eight 2/3c. servings)