Chocolate Pudding Recipe

A close up of a glass of chocolate pudding with whipped cream and shaved chocolate on top with two more glasses and pieces of chocolate behind it.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding is ready in minutes with a few simple ingredients. It’s silky, rich, and perfect with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 3

Total Time 3 15

Servings servings

Calories 294kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Small saucepan
Mixing Bowls
Plastic wrap

Ingredients

2¼ cups whole milk (540ml)
½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (33g)
pinch of salt
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups (480ml) of milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Cook over medium heat until very steam and just starting to simmer, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining ¼ cup (60ml) of milk.
When the chocolate milk mixture is hot, slowly whisk about a cup into the egg yolk mixture. (This tempers the eggs to keep them from scrambling.) Whisk in the remaining hot milk. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
Place the saucepan back over medium heat and cook stirring constantly until the mixture bubbles. Continue cooking until thickened enough that the whisk leaves a trace when stirring in the mixture, about 3 minutes. (The temperature should also be about 170°F on an instant-read thermometer.) Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla until melted and combined.
Transfer the pudding to a bowl and press plastic wrap to the surface. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours, or up to 4 days. Give it a good stir before dishing into serving bowls. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Video

Notes

Don't overcook the pudding. Going above 180°F can cause the pudding to turn grainy as it cools. Sarah, my Executive Editor, cross-tested this and removed her pudding from the heat at 182°F. Once it cooled, it had a grainy texture from the eggs overcooking slightly. It tasted delicious, but the texture was less ideal and not as velvety smooth.
As the pudding sets, it becomes a little dense. I like to stir the pudding before serving to help aerate it a bit and loosen the texture slightly.
To make chocolate shavings for the topping, run a vegetable peeler down the side of a chocolate bar.

Nutrition

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