Chocolate pudding has always been a favorite of mine! It’s the first dessert I remember from my childhood…served up in melamine bowls (ours were robin’s egg blue). I can’t say that childhood fave was The Best Chocolate Pudding, although it was to me at the time. The recipe, below, is!
The Best Chocolate Pudding
Why make homemade when you can buy pudding in a plastic cup, or pick up a mix to shake together? Taste – beautifully rich chocolate taste. Homemade is a game changer, and all the commercial varieties pale in comparison. I might say the same of any pudding, but we’re sticking with Chocolate because, well, chocolate.
About The Best Chocolate Pudding:
I should probably qualify that this is the best chocolate pudding made with ingredients commonly found in the cupboard, pantry, and fridge, with nothing too over the top or pricey.
I don’t know how old I was, maybe a tween, when I noticed the recipe for chocolate pudding on the back of the cornstarch box – it was a revelation. I could make pudding right now even if we didn’t have a box of pudding in the cupboard! Little did I know I was making a form of Blancmange, which sounds so much fancier.
The problem was that it was OK. It wasn’t great. It wasn’t until I started reading old cookbooks, including my Grandmother’s, that I discovered why. The simple cornstarch pudding lacked the structure, richness, and body of those that included egg yolk. So this recipe was formed!
If only we had the internet back then, and more than a handful of cookbooks!
The Best Chocolate Pudding
Making The Best Chocolate Pudding:
If you’re used to making the stovetop mix, it’s not all that much more effort to make homemade; most of that extra work is just getting a few ingredients out, measuring, and putting them back. As I found out as a kid, it’s child’s play!
This makes 4 conservative servings! I would recommend doubling the recipe!
The Cocoa:
- Natural Cocoa: Using plain old “natural” cocoa will give you a gorgeous milk chocolate flavor.
- A Blend: Use half Dutch processed and half natural for a deep, rich dark chocolate flavor. (Hershey’s used to make this Special Blend, but it’s been discontinued.)
- Dutch Processed: In this recipe, Dutch processed is (for me, at least, and I love dark chocolate) overwhelming.
Chilling:
- Although Chocolate Pudding can be served warm, it’s best served chilled. Count on two to four hours, depending on the container used. Individual containers chill more quickly.
- Place a wrapper (most use a plastic wrap) directly on the surface to avoid a thick, dense layer on the top of the pudding.
Serving:
This recipe serves four, but they’re small servings. You may wish to double the recipe. Pudding may be chilled in one bowl and portioned after it’s chilled or chilled in individual servings.
I can’t think of a better way to serve the Best Chocolate Pudding than with a dollop of whipped cream, but as a child, we always floated the thinnest layer of milk over the top.
Leftover Chocolate Pudding:
Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for three to four days. Note that sometimes puddings, along with other items thickened with cornstarch, can become watery.
Generally, this happens for one of two reasons.
- The first: if the pudding is stirred heavily after it’s set, then refrigerated again, it may weep.
- The second: The introduction of a foreign substance, usually amylase, may cause weeping by breaking down the starch. Sorry to say it…amylase is found in saliva. Don’t double dip!
Other Easy Chocolate Desserts You Might Like:
Chocolate Meringue Brownie Cake
Chocolate Meringue Brownie Cake
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.
Eggs:
- Both Aldi & Lidl, as well as buyer’s clubs (you will need to buy larger amounts at the buyer’s club), have great everyday prices, but usually do not approach a great pre-holiday grocery store sales price.
- If you have room, stock up at a low. Eggs keep for several weeks after the “buy by” date. They are best stored in the original container on the bottom shelf, not the door.
- The American Egg Board (the people behind the Incredible Edible Egg Commercials) is a great resource for any egg questions!
- Three egg whites will be left over. They can be frozen – see my post on Over 75 ways to use Leftover Egg Whites.
Milk:
- Discount stores usually have the best pricing, buyer’s clubs next, and now and then it’s on sale at the grocery. If that’s the case, buy at the beginning and end of the week.
- Don’t confuse “best if sold by” or “best if used by” dates with spoilage; these are not safety dates. Use your nose! Keep it capped and refrigerated on the bottom shelf, not the door, and don’t leave it hanging at the table while eating – it will last much longer.
General Baking Items:
- My standard advice for saving on any baking items is to stock up during your grocery holiday sales, especially before Easter and the Winter Holidays, and never pay full price. Many items are up to half off.
- Discount stores like Aldi or Lidl, if you have one nearby, have great pricing on baking items year-round, as does your buyer’s club, although quantities are larger.
Hey Frugal Friends,
I know this is a little controversial! I prefer NOT to put plastic wrap directly on top of the best chocolate pudding (or any pudding) when I make it, but instead to let a thick top layer form. I always thought it was like concentrated flavor and the best part!
It seems I am in the vast minority, and most people hate a thick chocolate layer on the top of their pudding. Which camp are you in? Comment below!
Mollie
The Best Chocolate Pudding
The Best Chocolate Pudding
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes + chill
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup natural cocoa powder
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch (or 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
- pinch of salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter, in small pieces
Note: This makes 4 servings, but the ervings are conservative. I would recommend doubling the recipe if more than two or three people.
Instructions
Mix together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cocoa in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring nearly constantly.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and vanilla in a bowl. When the milk mixture reaches a simmer, gradually whisk about a cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture.
Return the milk/yolk mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and continue whisking until thick, about 2 or 3 minutes more.
Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Strain mixture, using a spatula to force through the strainer, discarding any solids. Pour the pudding into 4 small cups. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.
10 thoughts on “The Best Chocolate Pudding”