Easy, Rich, Decadent, Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding

[noboundaries]

If you enjoy a dessert that is easy and PACKED with rich flavor, ya gotta try this one. I love my coffee black and strong, whiskey complex, and, now, my chocolate pudding decadent and stimulating (a holiday cheat for me).

I shigged the base recipe off the Internet, then made changes to improve the flavor. Gentlemen, my wife went nuts over this.

Quick, easy, and satisfying in many, many ways.

Homemade Bittersweet Decadent Chocolate Pudding

PREP 10 minutes
COOK 10 minutes
TOTAL 20 minutes
SERVINGS 8

WOW, oh wow! Rich and decadent. I have NEVER tasted a pudding packed with such intense chocolate flavor. Best after only 10 minutes of cooling, but still rich after refrigeration and a garnish of whipping cream.

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
⅔ cup Dutch process cocoa
⅓ cup cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp instant espresso powder
4 ½ cups whole milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 Directions
In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, and espresso powder. Mix well. Add in cold milk, whisk until combined. The powder that floats on top will eventually blend into the mixture.

Turn heat to medium, whisking constantly. It will start to thicken around the 8-9 minute point. Continue whisking until the mixture reaches a gentle boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute while whisking constantly.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.

Cover pan with cracked cover and allow mixture to cool ten minutes before serving for those who like hot pudding, otherwise cool completely.

Serve hot, warm, and/or chilled.

 

[JLeonard]

Ok you got me convinced! Looks mighty good.

Jim

 

[SmokinEdge]

Looks great. My war department will most likely like this too, maybe will let the barrels cool a minute. Thanks for the recipe.

 

[jcam222]

Looks and some nda fantastic. That espresso in the mix really enhances the deep richness of the chocolate.

 

[noboundaries]

Ok you got me convinced! Looks mighty good.

Jim

That was easy, Jim. Thanks. Two evenings ago I awoke from a nap craving chocolate pudding. WTH? I'm not a pudding guy, so my wife looked at me like I was a stranger. A quick search online for a scratch chocolate pudding recipe gave me the base. I made my changes and voila! No changes necessary.

Looks great. My war department will most likely like this too, maybe will let the barrels cool a minute. Thanks for the recipe.

You're welcome, SE. Make it as a peace offering.

Looks and some nda fantastic. That espresso in the mix really enhances the deep richness of the chocolate.

Thanks, Jeff. You're right. Espresso powder AND the Dutch process cocoa take it to another level. I love smelling coffee, complex whiskey, and this pudding. After I finished my first bowl, I kept inhaling the aromas of the miniscule remnants in the bowl.

 

[bill1]

Ingredients don't seem all that rich but you've never let me down Ray so I'm going to try this!

 

[noboundaries]

Ingredients don't seem all that rich but you've never let me down Ray so I'm going to try this!

Looking forward to your results, Bill!

Next on my agenda for this recipe...thick, rich hot chocolate with a south of the border twist. My wife has been chasing that result for more than a decade using dozens of recipes and products. I think I can make some small changes and additions to my recipe above to provide her with EXACTLY what she wants.

 

[Winterrider]

Gotta bookmark that one!

 

[noboundaries]

Gotta bookmark that one!

Yep! Twenty minutes of easy effort followed by five minutes of tastebud heaven and ten minutes of lingering flavors that will send you back for more.

 

[bill1]

I immediately thought a little black or cayenne pepper may be coming to that pudding!

 

[noboundaries]

I immediately thought a little black or cayenne pepper may be coming to that pudding!

YEP! I'm gonna cut the cornstarch to 1 Tbs or less (2 tsp) and add some ancho chili powder and Ceylon cinnamon. My wife is not a fan of Cayenne but some might get sprinkled into my cup.

 

[912smoker]

That looks and sounds like something we would love. Bookmarked for a possibility this weekend!

Keith

 

[noboundaries]

That looks and sounds like something we would love. Bookmarked for a possibility this weekend!

Keith

Thanks, Keith. If you make it, let us know what you think.

The pudding put me on an experimental train in the last week. Made ham salad earlier, which is something I haven't had since I was a kid. Also made Gluhwein, a German mulled red wine. Still dialing in that recipe but the first attempt wasn't bad.

Happy Holidays, All

Ray

 

[gmc2003]

It looks great Ray. Can you smell/taste the espresso? I'm not a coffee drinker and have a hard time even being in the same grocery store aisle when someone is grinding beans. I bet that mixture would make a really fantastic pudding pie also(minus the espresso of course).

Point for sure
Chris

 

[noboundaries]

It looks great Ray. Can you smell/taste the espresso?

Thanks, Chris. Can one smell/taste the espresso? Nope. Proof? My super-taster wife HATES the taste of coffee and won't drink anything that tastes of coffee...and she LOVED this pudding.

The espresso powder is like a horsepower chocolate flavor enhancer. My wife is going to make her family recipe chocolate crinkle cookies soon and will add espresso powder to her recipe to bring out more chocolate flavor.

Don't fear the espresso to enhance chocolate.

Happy Holidays!

Ray

 

[gmc2003]

Good to know, thanks

Chirs

 

[bill1]

...the espresso powder is like a horsepower chocolate flavor enhancer...

EXACTLY! And the recipe's proportions show that you can add quite a bit and it still remains hidden. The trick is to add it until you taste it then dial it back a notch.