Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Homemade Chocolate Pudding: Sweet, simple, and satisfying

I've been on a chocolate pudding kick the last couple of weeks. I modified a chocolate cream pie filling recipe, and since this is the third time in two weeks I've made this pudding, I figured it was time to commit to putting it in a blog post here. 

This pudding probably tastes similar to what you could buy at the store in those little plastic cups, or what you could make with Jell-O pudding powder, but this feels healthier because I know and can pronounce every ingredient I put into it.

It's just a simple, relatively easy to prepare sweet treat that makes me happy. Try it and see if it makes you happy too.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1/6 cup (about 2 3/4 tablespoons) white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk (2% is best, I think)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips (I like Nestle's Dark Chocolate Chips)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup whipped cream, optional

Instructions:

• Place 6 glass cups on a plate or small tray. (Each serving will be a little less than half a cup, so pick your size accordingly. I used my Pampered Chef 1-Cup Prep Bowls)
• Place sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt into a medium size heavy bottomed saucepan.
• Whisk together the milk and the egg yolks, and then whisk the liquid into the saucepan with the dry ingredients.
• Turn the heat to medium, and cook until liquid has thickened, stirring constantly with the whisk. It will take about 3-5 minutes to thicken to a gravy-like consistency. 
• Turn off the heat, add the chocolate chips and unsalted butter. Whisk to melt chips and butter, and add the vanilla. Continue whisking until smooth.
• Use a silicone spatula to stir/scrape the corners to make sure everything is incorporated.
• Carefully pour about a scant half cup of pudding into each dish.
• Cover each dish with a bit of plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is in direct contact with the pudding.
• Place in refrigerator until completely chilled (at least two hours).
• Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Makes 6 servings
Recipe is easily doubled 

Just poured--a little messy

Ready to go into the fridge