Friday, July 26, 2013

Homemade Chocolate Pudding - An update



The other night I whipped up a batch of Homemade Chocolate Pudding.  I decided to throw CAUTION to the WIND because I didn't have any cornstarch.  My recipe calls for cornstarch.  But I know that flour is also a great thickener so I used flour to see if that worked. 

Did it work?  It SURE DID!  I couldn't tell a single bit of difference!  In fact, I will probably use flour now instead of cornstarch.  I don't use much cornstarch in my kitchen and I always have flour so I was glad to discover that as a substitution. 

The pudding was thick, chocolatey, and warm.  What a combination, huh? If you haven't tried warm, chocolate pudding, then definitely put that on your list of things to try.

I posted this recipe a long time ago when I made my younger daughter's'"Last Supper" before she left to go to Kansas City to college.  But this recipe deserves a post of its own.  It's that good!

Pudding is a great thing to make for a treat.  It's super cheap, uses pantry ingredients, most people (and small children) like it, and I even put some in small jars for lunch packing.  It's a total win!  Homemade Snackpacks are the best!  I know exactly what is in mine and they are even yummier than the ones at the store. 



Homemade pudding is easy.  Just remember to stir the whole time so that it doesn't stick on the bottom.  I use a whisk because that works the best for me.  I just keep whisking back and forth and around and around.  Just don't cook it too fast and keep stirring.  It will turn into pudding just like magic.

Here's how I make Homemade Chocolate Pudding AT HOME MY WAY:

Homemade Chocolate Pudding
  • 3 cups milk (cold)
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour (or cornstarch)
  • 1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder (do not use NestlĂ©'s - it's not good) 
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • Good dash salt (like 1/8 teaspoon)
  • 3 tablespoons margarine  (I used 1 Tablespoon because I was short of margarine; fine)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

With the burner off, in a two quart sauce pan combine the cornstarch (or flour), cocoa, sugar and salt. Mix it very well (I use a whisk.) until all is mixed well. Add the cold milk, whisking it in until the mixture is smooth as best as you can.   Now turn on the burner (medium) (do NOT walk away, stir the entire time this is cooking... it SCORCHES easily and you don't want that) - stir constantly.
Bring the pudding to a boil. Reduce heat at little bit, but maintaining the boil, and boil stirring the whole time, for one minute (set a timer). Remove from heat. Plop in the margarine, stir until the margarine melts and is blended throughout, then add the vanilla and stir again.
The pudding will thicken more as it cools.  Pour into a bowl to serve that can be refrigerated.  (You can pour the pudding into a pretty serving dish, or small individual cups. I pour it into small individual jelly jars with lids for our lunches.) Store it in the fridge either way. Makes 6 servings. This recipe is what pudding fantasies are made of.

Works fine with powdered milk: To make 3 cups of milk, combine 3 cups of tap water with 1 cup of instant nonfat dry milk powder. Stir to dissolve the milk powder, and then use as directed above.
This would be great also poured into a baked pie crust for baked graham cracker crust for an easy chocolate pie.
Also, remember that the true southern way to eat pudding is to eat it warm over a split, hot biscuit.  Once you try it, you will always want a biscuit with your chocolate pudding!  Think chocolate pie with a thick crust!  Mmmmm.


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