If you’ve only ever had pudding from a box, you’ll be surprised at
how flavorful this homemade version is – and that it doesn’t take much
more time than the pre-fab stuff. Nana used regular Dutch cocoa; I
prefer Hershey’s Special Dark, and substituting dark brown sugar for
white. Made with skim milk, it only has 117 calories and .25 grams of
fat per serving – and still tastes plenty rich.Â
- 3T. cornstarch
- 3 T. cocoa
- ½ c. sugar
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 c. milk
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
In a medium heavy pan, mix the cornstarch, cocoa, sugar and salt
until thoroughly blended.
Warm the milk in the microwave until
it’s warm to hot, but don’t let it come to a boil. Whisk the hot milk
into the cocoa mixture and cook over medium low heat until it comes to a
simmer, whisking constantly. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the
pudding has thickened.
Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.
Continue to stir for a couple minutes more so that the pudding remains
smooth and no lumps form around the edges. Pour into individual ramekins
or custard cups and cool to room temperature. Cover and chill
thoroughly before serving. Makes six scant ½ c. servings.
Variations – these are good singly or in combination with one or both of the
other variations.
Substitute dark brown sugar (Meijer’s house brand
is especially good) for the white sugar.
- Mix ½ tsp. cinnamon with the dry ingredients for a Mexican touch.
- Mix ½ – 1 tsp. instant coffee or espresso powder with the dry ingredients for a mocha pudding.
This article appears in May 20-26, 2010.
