Puddings seem to have become a forgotten dessert. With the ease of whipping up the instant stuff, making pudding from scratch seems so antiquated and unnecessary to the modern cook. Puddings have been around for hundreds of years but haven’t always been considered desserts. The first sweet puddings date back to the Middle Ages and were made by boiling ingredients together until a thick, custardy mixture was formed. The same process is used today to make creamy, rich pudding.
Before instant pudding hit the grocery store shelves, pudding was typically a dessert reserved for holiday meals and special occasions. The pudding making process can be tedious and labor intensive. Many recipes call for double boilers, water baths and many other complicated steps. This recipe is so simple and easy but yields the most decadent chocolate pudding far surpassing any instant variety. With the whole process taking approximately ten minutes and using readily available ingredients, why not serve this dish at your next dinner party and wow your guests with an old fashioned dessert that couldn’t be any simpler. Or delicious.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
3 heaping tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 3/4 cups milk
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
Directions
1. Combine sugar, cocoa powder, salt and cornstarch in medium saucepan.
2. Add the milk and stir until well combined.
3. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to stick to the back of a metal spoon.
4. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Stir. Serve warm or chill in the refrigerator.
