Chocolate Puddin' Recipe

Prep dry and chocolate

Whisk together the cornstarch, cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar in a small bowl so there are no lumps. Finely chop the bittersweet chocolate (if using chips you can measure directly). Separate 3 large eggs and reserve the yolks in a medium bowl.

Heat milk and cream

In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, remaining granulated sugar (about 14 tablespoons minus the 2 used with the cocoa — but for clarity use the rest of the cup), and salt. Warm over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is hot and steam rises but it does not boil (small bubbles forming at the edge), about 5–7 minutes.

Temper egg yolks

Place the egg yolks in the medium bowl and whisk lightly. Take about 1/3 cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk it into the cornstarch-cocoa-sugar mix until smooth to create a slurry. Then slowly add 1/3 cup of the hot milk to the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them. Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk mixture, whisking to combine.

Cook to thicken

Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 4–6 minutes. Do not let it boil vigorously; a gentle simmer is fine. If small lumps appear, remove from heat and whisk vigorously until smooth.

Add chocolate and butter

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chopped bittersweet chocolate and butter. Stir until the chocolate and butter are fully melted and the pudding is glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Strain and cool

For the smoothest texture, strain the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any bits of cooked egg or cocoa lumps. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool at room temperature for 15–20 minutes, then refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days).

Spoon the chilled pudding into serving bowls or ramekins. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of shaved chocolate or a dusting of cocoa powder, and a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt if desired. Serve cold.