Chocolate Pudding ~ Old School Recipe
This is a recipe for good old fashioned chocolate pudding. Smooth, creamy and totally reminiscent of the little pudding cups you used to get in your lunch box. In fact this tastes so much like the stuff I remember scooping out of a little metal pudding cup with a peel back lid (I may have just dated myself), eating this makes me think I’m a kid again!
Do I Have To Use Whole Milk?
If you don’t have whole milk on hand but you have 2%, that will work just fine. For a little extra decadence, you can swap out about 1/2 cup milk and replace it with 10% cream. This same rule applies to most pudding recipes of this style, like my classic vanilla pudding recipe.
I have also made chocolate pudding with chocolate milk and it worked out beautifully. I would probably reduce the amount of cocoa powder by a couple of tablespoons.
If you are vegan, nearly any plant based milk works for puddings. Even though it doesn’t match the silkiness of whole dairy milk, it still turns out very smooth and creamy.
Can I Leave Out the Egg Yolks?
Yes you can! The addition of egg yolks in this recipe only makes it richer and creamier, but it will turn out fine if you leave them out.
Just cook the mixture for the 2-3 minutes in the first step. Once you remove from the heat proceed with the butter and vanilla. Once chilled, your pudding will still set up beautifully and turn out smooth and creamy.
How Long Does Chocolate Pudding Keep?
This homemade chocolate pudding will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator. When storing, keep it in a container with a tight fitting lid. Always keep a piece of plastic wrap touching the surface so no skin forms.
What’s the Best Way to Serve This?
Before serving, pudding always looks best when you stir it well before dishing out. Then it looks as good as the ones from commercials. The most old school way to serve this style of pudding is with a dollop of whipped cream, but you really don’t need anything!
I hope you’ll give this amazing chocolate pudding recipe a try and that you’ll be smiling your way down memory lane. If you do, let me know how it turned out for you!
Chocolate Pudding ~ Old School Recipe
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 20 grams unsalted butter 1½ tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed saucepan whisk together milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt. Bring to a bowl over medium heat, whisking frequently until smooth. Whisk continuously as it comes to a boil and reduce heat. Cook gently on low for 1½-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Slowly add ¼ cup of hot pudding mixture, whisking quickly. Add another ¼ cup while stirring continuously. Add the warmed egg yolk mixture back into the pot and whisk well. Return to heat.
- Bring pudding back to a gentle boil over medium low heat and cook another 45-60 seconds. Whisk continuously until the mixture is smooth and slightly more thickened.
- Remove from heat. Whisk in butter and vanilla until fully melted and smooth. Scrape the sides so every ingredient gets completely incorporated. Once smooth, strain the pudding into serving bowl to remove any bits of cooked egg. Cover immediately with plastic wrap so it is touching the surface. Allow to cool and chill for 3-4 hours before serving.
I’m looking for a recipe that I saw that also uses 3 Oz 60-70% dark chocolate bar, such as you can buy at Trader Joe’s. I have Valrhona cocoa powder from France, which is better than anything in the grocery stores. Hershey’s, Baker, etc, pay for shelf space, but they are the worst. Look on Amazon for great cocoa powder.
I would definitely double the recipe, as I’m going to eat a lot.
Trader Joe’s discontinued their Belgian Chocolate pudding, which is a tragedy. Why?!
It would certainly make sense to use chocolate for chocolate pudding as opposed to cocoa. Your chocolate would make some decadent pudding 🙂
Actually, I meant, use cocoa powder, a good one like TJ’s or Valrhona or another on Amazon, (but not Bakers or Hershey’s), in addition to a semi sweet chocolate bar from TJ’s.
Also, mix dry ingredients first, then add milk mixed well with the beaten egg yolks, a little at a time over medium heat, then the choc bar, butter and vanilla at the end.
It’s less hassle this way. Fewer steps I think.
Great tips, thank you! Blooming the cocoa powder in fat intensifies the flavors, that’s why I do this. Also whipping the eggs yields a chewier brownie with a wrinkly top. I will try your method still as I am always open to the possibility of improvement!