Easy, Rich Chocolate Pudding

Submitted by Sass Smith

"This comes together in about the same time it takes to make pudding from a box and tastes infinitely better. It's my slightly lower-fat version of the Chocolate Pudding in the Best Recipe Cookbook. You can use more or less high-fat dairy products as you wish, but the richness of the final product will be affected."

 

• Ready In: 15mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2⁄3 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 cups 2% low-fat milk
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

directions

1. Melt chocolate in a saucepan or in the microwave and allow to cool slightly.
2. Sift cocoa, corn starch, sugar and salt together in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
3. Slowly whisk in the half and half, then the egg yolks, then the milk.
4. Stir in the chocolate (it will look curdled and clumped, but will melt together with cooking).
5. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly and scraping the sides and bottom of the pot.
6. A splatter screen might be helpful here if your pot is not very deep.
7. As the pudding reaches the boiling point it will darken and thicken.
8. When it boils, reduce heat to medium and stir with a wooden spoon for about two minutes, until it has reached the appropriate pudding consistency.
9. Stir in butter and vanilla.
10. Serve warm or chilled.