In general, I prefer savory and salty food over sweet. You hand me a plate of onion rings, and I am a very happy girl. Give me all the savory appetizers. However, now and again, there is nothing that I want more than chocolate. And usually, when that chocolate craving hits, what I really want is a big delicious bowl of chocolate pudding with whipped cream on top. Pudding is incredibly easy to make from scratch. In fact, one might argue that it is just as easy to make as cracking open a box of pudding mix. But homemade chocolate pudding is a million times better.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch is what helps to thicken the pudding. The benefit in using cornstarch instead of flour is that it thickens the pudding without turning it gummy. It also happens to keep this pudding gluten free!
Whole Milk
While there are some desert recipes where you can fudge on the fat content in milk, this is not one of them. You will want to use whole milk when making chocolate pudding. It gives you the rich taste and the creamy texture that puts this over the top.
Making Ahead
This is a great dessert recipe to make ahead, especially around the holidays. Since the pudding needs to set anyway, you can make this simple dessert the night before and then pull it out at the end of dinner.
Storing
Store any leftover chocolate pudding in your refrigerator for up to three days. Be sure to store it in an air tight container. Once it has been stirred after the first chilling you will not need to place the plastic wrap back on top. The chilled pudding will not form a layer on the top when it goes back in the refrigerator. You will notice that I also added some chocolate shavings to the top. This makes for a really beautiful effect. Simply use a vegetable peeler to create little chocolate swirls from a chocolate bar.
Other Easy Desserts
Coconut Macaroons: These come together so fast, and they are crisp not he outside but deliciously chewy on the inside. Apple Cobbler: I could eat this dessert right out of the pan. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars: I love how fast and easy bar recipes are and this one is a total winner.
If you make this delicious chocolate pudding dessert, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
