YUM! Homemade Chocolate Pudding!!

Does life get any better than this?  And it couldn't be any easier!!  If I had known how simple it was to make pudding, I would have given up on Jello pudding years ago!!  The hardest part is running to the store to get all the ingredients!!  And OMG is it ever GOOD !!!  


I got this recipe from the blog My Baking Addiction.  In her recipe, she uses semi-sweet chocolate which she says she broke up into pieces (I am assuming she is using a baking bar).  I didn't have that because I overlooked that when reading the recipe.  So I substitute Hershey's Dark Chocolate Chips which worked out perfectly fine.  Here is the recipe:

Homemade Chocolate Pudding


Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/3 cups milk
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used heavy whipping cream)
1/2 teaspoon  vanilla extract
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (see note above)

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch whisking to thoroughly blend them. Add milk and whisk until the sugar/cornstarch mixture has dissolved. Next, whisk in the egg yolk and cream.

2. Place the pan over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a full boil and thickens.  Caution - this thickens fairly quickly, so keep a watchful eye (i.e., don't walk away!!)

3. As soon as the mixture thickens, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.

4. Add chocolate and whisk until it is completed melted and smooth.  Whew!!  By now, you want to toss that whisk out the nearest window!!  But, you have just made the best pudding known to mankind, so pat yourself on the back - well, put the whisk down first before you pat yourself on the back (might make a nasty mess on your back!!).

5. Pour pudding into individual serving dishes. Let the pudding cool slightly then cover the tops with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.


6. If desired, garnish with fresh whipped cream and chocolate curls.


If you really want to make this decadent, add 1/3 cup of Baileys Irish Cream at Step #3 - that makes the pudding OH SO GOOD!!  Of course don't add the Irish Cream if you have children - wait a minute . . . maybe that might settle them down  . . . hmmmmm  - better not!!!