Skip to main content

Homemade Chocolate Pudding & a Special Craving!


I know, I know - I've been slacking!  But, I assure you, it's for a very good cause.   Rob and I are having a baby!  Our first child is due June 27, 2011 and we couldn't be more excited!  I've been feeling great, in relation to how I expected to feel, however I've just been exhausted.  I haven't stopped cooking and baking, though admittedly I have slowed down a bit.  However, the lack of blogging lately is just due to pure laziness.  As I mentioned, I've been exhausted, so I either didn't feel like taking pictures of my food, or if I did take pictures they still need to be loaded and/or edited before I can post.

Though we don't know the sex yet, this baby definitely takes after daddy, or is all girl, because I've been having some major chocolate cravings.  Chocolate has never been my go-to flavor choice, though I don't dislike it, but the last few months I've been wanting it all.the.time.  However, not just any chocolate - I want soft and creamy chocolate - pudding, ice cream, hot chocolate, chocolate milk, "leftover" cake and cupcake frosting, etc.

In honor of Baby S., I want to share with you this amazing homemade chocolate pudding recipe I stumbled across while enjoying a breakfast drink (chocolate flavor, of course!)  as a snack at work and poking around the inter-webs.  To be honest, pudding has never been something I've thought of making on my own until I started craving it - but believe me, this recipe will definitely get some good use when this baby starts begging for pudding when it's older!  I saw numerous recipes that were more like custards and mousses (many of which I bookmarked for later!) but I just wanted a basic, aka quick, chocolate pudding.  This recipe did not disappoint.  Silky, creamy, rich but not heavy, and, of course - chocolaty!!

Silky Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk (I used 1% milk for a lighter version and it was still a-maz-ing!)
6 ounces 62% semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in the milk, scraping the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients. Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. Use a whisk as necessary should lumps begin to form. After 15 to 20 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, add the chocolate. Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a serving bowl or into individual serving dishes.

Place plastic wrap on top of the pudding and smooth it gently against the surface before refrigerating. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.

Source:  adapted from Smitten Kitchen, as found on The Wednesday Chef, originally from The Essence of Chocolate, by John Scharffenberger

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

A fabulous vanilla cupcake recipe is something everyone needs. EVERY.ONE. Not just bakers. Not just parents that host a lot of kid parties. Everyone. I've tried several, and many have been phenomenal. Then I tried Amy Sedaris's after finding the recipe online, and it was above and beyond the best vanilla cupcake I've ever made. It was an easy batter to make, baked up beautifully, and most importantly - tasted amazing. Regardless if you have never made vanilla cupcakes and need a recipe to start with, or even if you think you have the best - give this one a shot. You will not be disappointed! Vanilla Cupcakes Ingredients: 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups flour 1 1/4 cups milk Directions: - Preheat oven to 375 degrees. - Mix butter at medium speed until smooth. Mix in sugar until well blended. - Add eggs, mixing until fully

Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker Beef Chili

I don't experiment much with chili because it rarely goes well for me and my family. I've slowly adapted my chili recipe over the years, but I've still always used canned chili beans, with a flavored sauce. I've been wanting to try regular beans (whether canned or dried, I wasn't discerning, just didn't want the sauce), so off to the Googles I went rather than trying to recreate the spice blend from my normal canned beans. Because I was originally planning to make chili in the Instant Pot, that's where I focused my search. Thankfully the recipe I decided to try was adapted from a Slow Cooker recipe, because life got in my way and I wasn't able to make the chili the night before as planned, and I wouldn't have had time to use the pressure cooker with my schedule that day. What drew me to this recipe was the simplicity of the ingredients. And lack of jalapeno. Because somehow nearly every time I plan chili I forget to buy a jalapeno, even if it

White Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse Filling

OK, so, while this recipe was the result of me literally quick thinking at the grocery store rushing around to pick up a few ingredients over Easter weekend, I came up with a fantastic cake filling, in my humble opinion.  I love the cake fillings at Costco and wanted to make a variation on that.  This is really semi-homemade but oh so good!  It's rich, creamy and decadent.  Even my husband loved it, and he's not really a cake fan.  It was so easy to make too! White Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse Filling Ingredients: 1 package Jello Pudding - Cheesecake flavor 1 8-oz. container Whipped Cream Cheese, softened 1 8-oz, container Cool Whip, thawed 3 oz. White Chocolate, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions: Beat softened cream cheese and vanilla with mixer until well blended and light (a few minutes). Beat in pudding mix until fully incorporated. Stir in melted white chocolate. Fold in thawed Cool Whip Allow to set in fridge for a few hours, but don't let it get