This weekend we had company for dinner. I was excited to cook for our guests. Unfortunately, during the week, our oven decided that it was going to operate at 500° regardless of the temperature I requested. This came to my attention when it burned through my silicone mat in less than 7 minutes. Since this is not the first issue that we have had with this range, we decided to cut our losses and purchase a new one. However, it was not going to arrive in time for me to prepare our meal. We had already planned to grill most of the fare, but I needed to come up with a dessert. After racking my brain, I decided upon pudding.
I love chocolate pudding. However, I don’t love the ingredients in the boxes of cook & serve pudding mix. Don’t even get me started on the ingredients in the instant pudding mix! So, to fulfill my pudding desires, I turn to homemade. Surprise, surprise.
Many recipes for homemade pudding use lots of cornstarch. But this little gem uses flour as the thickener. As I’m not a huge fan of high fructose corn syrups kissing cousin, cornstarch, this recipe is perfect for me.
Also, I’ll be honest, since this recipe contains eggs, it technically would be considered a custard. Tomato, tomahto. Regardless of its official title, it’s delicious.
Ingredients:
¾ c. sugar
¼ c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
2 2/3 c. milk
4 egg yolks – beaten
1 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
Combine sugar, flour and cocoa powder in a saucepan.
Stir in milk. Whisk over medium heat until bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes.
Remove from heat. Temper egg yolks by slowly stirring 1 cup of chocolate mixture into beaten yolks.
Return egg mixture to saucepan and return to heat. While stirring, bring to a gentle boil.
Cook and stir for 2 more minutes.
Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Stir to combine.
Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill.
When it comes time to serve, I say go big. A dollop of fresh whipped cream and a grating of chocolate. Yum.
Kris
Tips & Tricks:
Hershey Special Dark Cocoa is fantastic in this recipe.
Source: Better Homes & Gardens The New Cookbook (1999)
That looks divine! Really i would love to try this one.. esp as it uses eggs! c
That looks so much better than store-bought mixes. Going to have to try it. Thanks!
It’s so much better!
Stumbled across this post trying to find a no-cornstarch pudding recipe. I’m dying, this looks and sounds amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Coincidentally enough, I had just finished making some when I saw your comment. I hope you enjoy!
Just whipped some up after looking up a no-cornstarch pudding recipe. I’m still waiting for it to cool, but I couldn’t help but try it beforehand, and I can already confirm that it’s DELICIOUS! I used Saco blended cocoa, and I imagine each type of cocoa would give the pudding its own unique flavor.
I’m glad you like it. I haven’t really toyed with different cocoas but I will now!
I too stumbled across this looking up noncornstarch puddings. I am making it right now. It looks amazing. The best one I have found so far. So far it’s turning out.
This looks delicious! I’m making it to use as a pie filling for a sourdough piecrust. I hope it works out. I’m sure you can’t go too wrong with chocolate pudding and pie crust. Thanks!
Is there any risk for cooking the eggs and having chunky pudding, like there is with pastry cream?
I suppose there would be though I’ve never had an issue.
This pudding is great & super easy. I added a little salt. 🙂
Great recipe I made it for a chocolate cake as filling …..lovvveeee it!!
thank you for this delish recipe…for chocolate custard!
Hi can you give me the recipe in grams?
Quite a few hours, like store-bought mix. But, it’s scrumptious as soon as it’s cool enough to not burn your mouth.
Unfortunately, as a American child of the 70’s and 80’s, grams are not my strong suit. In fact, I’d probably be more successful making this milky, eggy custard into a vegan recipe than converting it to grams! So sorry.
How long does it have to chill for?
Could you leave the Coca out and make it vanilla or would it not taste the same?
I’ve never tried it. You’d probably have to increase the sugar a bit and with it, the milk. Good luck!
I made this last Thanksgiving but put in pie form. I make chocolate cream pie every year, from a box, never again. This is so simple, so luscious, and so much healthier. My family raved for weeks. I got busy with the holidays and never commented. Low and behold, I am in need of pudding again so here I am. This time as cake filling.
Yummmmm…As cake filling… Good idea!
I made this around 10 pm, and at 5 am it’s still very very soupy? I followed everything, exact measurements and all. Where did I go wrong?
We LOVE this recipe – it’s our go-to. I like to whip the egg whites leftover with sugar to make meringue (or meringue-ish), top the pudding with that, and bake to brown it. I have a question, though – have you made it without the eggs? My husband accidentally dropped our nice eggs from the farmer’s market – all dozen! I was hoping to make it anyway.
Hi, my grandmother made Chocolate pudding similarly. She used a whole egg and less eggs. She adds more flour. This makes more of a pudding than a custard. The egg is beaten into the milk and heated up. We use evaporated milk and water (this stems from Depression days, but lends a richer flavor). Also, she was big on beating the steam out of the pudding. Takes awhile, but boy do you have light and lovely pudding. She also layered the pudding with club crackers, cooked pie dough, or Nilla wafers. My favorite and what she did most often was the club crackers. She also crumbled some on top to keep a skin from forming.
A little later to the party, but I can’t wait to try this! I’m stuck at home in NY at the moment, so I’m sure my family will love it 🙂
I also just found this. Better late than never! Making today!
[…] why I’m posting now? In truth, it is completely because of my chocolate custard post! Despite my sharing that recipe in 2012 on a blog that has been virtually defunct since, that […]
🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠Just found your recipe this afternoon & started getting ingredients out right away!!! My family & I definitely gave it a ten star rating‼️
My grandmother made this and used the egg whites to make a Chocolate Meringue Pie. I made the pudding and added a pack of decaf Coffee h single serving. Nice strong mocha. I think I might make it straight chocolate and put it in a pecan crust with whipped cream
Ooo! A pecan crust! That sounds extra yummy!