Chocolate Pudding from scratch

Pudding didn't used to come from a box.

I like chocolate.
I like eggs, and have a steady supply.
I like cream.

Let us combine these to make pudding, but what to do with the leftover whites ...?

The almond cookies use egg whites.
This pudding uses egg yolks.
A match made, well, in the kitchen.



Ingredients:

• 6 oz. dark chocolate, melted and cooled (I use Trader Joes Pound Plus bars)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tbs dutch process cocoa (I am using Scharffen Berger Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder that I found at Grocery Outlet)
• 2 Tbs corn starch
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup cream
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract

Process:

Double-Chocolate Pudding from The Best Recipe

• Separate the eggs. Reserve the whites for almond cookies.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, allow to cool.
• Sift together the dry team: corn starch, cocoa, ...
• Mix the cream in with a whisk (the whisk is the instrument and not the verb in this case, we are not trying to inject air, so be calm)
• then the Egg yolks,
• then the milk.
• Pour and mix into the cooling chocolate (I let it get down to 140 degrees F).

I like to continue to cook this in a double boiler over pretty high heat. But for a double batch I move it to a big heavy bottom pan, and need to be more careful with the scraping. The recipe calls for putting it through a fine mesh strainer. Sometimes I do this. Sometimes I do not do this. I haven't noticed the difference. One way or the other, add the vanilla and butter at this point and fold in. (I put them into the bottom of the bowl that I am straining the pudding into).

Put into a container and cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed right down onto the surface of the pudding and refrigerate for more hours than you can stand until it is cool and set up.

You can serve with whip cream (as shown at the top of the post, with half of the pudding mixed with some whipped cream for a two tone effect).

Or with an apricot half and one of the almond cookies you just made.