Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate pudding is that cool and creamy classic dessert beloved by both kids and adults alike! My sweet and delicious chocolate pudding recipe is easy to prepare, providing a rich, velvety smoothness, with a deep chocolaty flavor from a double dose of good quality chocolate!

Chocolate Pudding is a Chocolate Lovers Dream Dessert

Do you have a favorite food that when you take a bite of it, you simply must close your eyes, sigh, and softly say, “Mmm...” to yourself?

For me, one of those foods is most certainly chocolate pudding, especially homemade chocolate pudding with intensely deep, rich, chocolaty flavor.

The saying goes that “diamonds are a gal's best friend”, but not this gal's. The way to my heart is through good quality chocolate, and the little secret about me is that I eat a little bit of it every single day.

Give me a couple of squares of semi-sweet dark chocolate that melt away on my tongue, and I'll consider it a total treat, a little splurge that I always feel grateful to enjoy.

So, it's only natural that a decadent, cool and creamy chocolate pudding is something that I not only very much adore partaking of by generous spoonfuls, but also revel in preparing as a cozy, chocolate dessert in my own kitchen.

There's something very simple and divinely delicious about classic homemade chocolate pudding with just a few simple ingredients; and let me tell you, the store-bought version cannot compare to the flavor and texture of this one.

Because it's so simple to make, chocolate pudding is one of those treats that you can easily whip up as often as you'd like to have it on hand in the fridge to sneak spoonfuls from! 😉

So all of this being said, I figured that it was high time that I shared a chocolate pudding recipe with you, one scrumptious enough to serve as an extra-special dessert after a delicious meal, or even to enjoy as a casual sweet treat from a chilled little jar, whenever a craving for chocolate comes along.

If you're a chocolate lover like I am, it's sure to become a favorite chocolaty treat!

How to Make Chocolate Pudding with Extra Chocolaty Flavor

In order to prepare rich, creamy and velvety homemade chocolate pudding, it takes only a handful of ingredients which you may be surprised to learn you most likely already have on hand. Don't you love that?

The basic list of ingredients needed here are sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, milk, half & half, egg yolks, butter, finely chopped, semi-sweet chocolate and vanilla extract—that's it!

I personally also like to add a little kiss of espresso flavor into my chocolate pudding, so I sprinkle in a tiny spoonful of instant espresso, but this is totally optional.

Here's a glance at my chocolate pudding recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe below...)

In a small pot, I combine my dry ingredients: sugar, cornstarch, salt, cocoa powder, and espresso powder (if using), and set that mixture aside for a moment.
In a medium-size bowl, I whisk together some milk and half & half with some egg yolks, then pour this custard mixture into the dry ingredients in my pot, whisking to combine until smooth and well blended.
I cook the pudding mixture over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, or until bubbling and thickened, whisking the whole time, scraping the bottom of the pot and sides to keep things smooth and from scorching.
Once thickened, I whisk in my finely chopped chocolate, strain the chocolate pudding through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, then whisk in my butter and the vanilla extract until completely smooth and blended.
I place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the pudding to prevent a skin from forming, then place it into the fridge to completely chill, about 4 hours; then, before serving, I use my whisk to blend and gently aerate the pudding to make it extra light and creamy.

Recipe

Chocolate Pudding

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This chocolate pudding is rich and creamy with a deep chocolaty flavor from a double dose of good quality chocolate!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Yield: 2 ½ cups

Nutrition Info: 300 calories (per ½ cup serving)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch (packed and leveled)
¼ teaspoon instant espresso (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted to remove lumps
1 cup whole milk
1 cup half & half
3 large egg yolks
2 ounces finely chopped, semi-sweet/dark chocolate (such as “Valrhona” 71% cacao chocolate)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream, optional garnish
Chocolate curls or shavings, optional garnish

Preparation:

To a medium pot, add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, instant espresso (if using), salt, and unsweetened cocoa, and whisk to combine; set aside for a moment.
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the milk, half & half, and egg yolks, and pour this custard mixture into the dry ingredients in the pot, whisking to thoroughly combine until smooth.
Turn the heat on medium under the pot, and cook the pudding mixture until thickened, about 8-10 minutes, whisking pretty much the entire time, scraping the bottom of the pot and sides to keep things smooth and to avoid scorching.
Once the mixture has thickened and is bubbling, cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute more; off heat, whisk in the finely chopped chocolate until completely blended in.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, and whisk in the butter and the vanilla until well blended.
Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the chocolate pudding to avoid a skin from forming, and chill for about 4 hours, or until completely cold.
Once completely chilled, use a whisk to mix and lightly blend the pudding to make it extra creamy; then, spoon the pudding into a container and keep cold, or serve immediately in dessert glasses, perhaps topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls, if desired.

Tips & Tidbits for my Chocolate Pudding:

A combo of both milk and half & half: Most pudding recipes simply call for milk, and you can certainly use all milk; but I'm going for a decadent, more “gourmet” chocolate pudding experience here (like the one I imagine having at that little chocolate shop that Juliette Binoche's character owns in the movie “Chocolat” :-)). So I like to use an equal amount of half & half and milk for my recipe—it yields a richer, creamier pudding.
Good quality chocolate: When it comes to both the cocoa powder and the semi-sweet/dark chocolate added in at the end, be sure to use the best quality that you can (Valrhona, Scharffen Berger, and Guittard are all top-notch brands, and one bar is enough). Make sure that your cocoa powder is unsweetened, and perhaps even sift it if it has lumps before adding it to the mixture.
A kiss of espresso for a little kick: A hint of espresso flavor in my chocolate pudding is something I really enjoy, as it seems to sort of intensify the chocolate flavor even more. This is completely optional, so leave it out if you're not a fan, and especially if you're making this pudding for kids to enjoy as well. But if you're interested, I use “Medaglia d’Oro” brand espresso instant coffee that comes in a little jar with a green lid and a red, white and green label. 😉
Whip after chilling, and before serving for extra creamy texture: Because this extra chocolaty pudding thickens slightly as it chills, use a whisk to blend it up and give it an extra creamy texture before serving.