Chocolate Pudding

I like pudding, especially good chocolate pudding with lots of whipped cream. Maybe I just really like whipped cream.... I have been thinking about making pudding for a while, but I kept putting it off because I felt like it would be too much effort. I'm always annoyed at myself when I finally get around to making something I thought would be too time-consuming--only to find out that it really wasn't that difficult, and I could have enjoyed eating it a long time ago.

That's how it is with homemade pudding. The only difficult part is waiting for it to cool. (I have discovered that I like chocolate pudding cooled. I love warm tapioca pudding with whipped cream, but you still have to wait 20 minutes for tapioca pudding to set. Torture!) I think I had my stove setting a little too low. The pudding eventually formed the first large bubble, but I felt like I was standing over the stove longer than necessary.

I ate my first bowl of pudding the same night I made it. After everyone else was in bed and I was sitting in front of a good English chick flick set in the 1800's (not Pride and Prejudice, but about as good) I enjoyed my heavily creamed bowl of pudding (and another small serving after that...). Guilty pleasures!

I did share some pudding with the boys after dinner the next evening, and they loved it. I can't wait to try the vanilla pudding now. I'm thinking next week, if not sooner.

Vanilla or Chocolate Pudding
Source: Everyday Food

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (if making chocolate pudding)
2 1/2 cups milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. If making chocolate pudding, add cocoa powder. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
2. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low; still whisking, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding.
3. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Before serving, whisk pudding until smooth; divide among four serving dishes.
Serves 4.